


The Alpha and The Omega

by intenzity9



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst and Drama, Canon Compliant, Dead People, F/M, Mementos (Persona 5), Partnership, Post-Canon, Post-Persona 5: Strikers, Post-Persona 5: The Royal, Revenge, Self-Esteem Issues, Sibling Rivalry, Swearing, Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28509738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intenzity9/pseuds/intenzity9
Summary: When Sumire Yoshizawa is sent home after the latest national meet, she is caught in the midst of a sudden Mementos emergence with a familiar ally to assist her and a familiar face to fight against all odds.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren/Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Original Yoshizawa Kasumi & Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi, Suzui Shiho & Yoshizawa Sumire | Yoshizawa Kasumi
Comments: 23
Kudos: 35





	1. Prologue: Violet

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there, everyone! intenzity9 here with another major fic in my list, and the first one for 2021!
> 
> Welcome to The Alpha and The Omega!
> 
> Now this fic is inspired by the whole Dante-Vergil rivalry in the Devil May Cry series. (And sadly, the Bury The Light memes that surfaced in Reddit) Seeing that the two Sons of Sparda are somewhat similar with the Yoshizawa twins albeit with a few differences, the whole sibling rivalry thing with the girls is now going up a notch in this action-filled fic!
> 
> With that said, let's begin!

_**"You'll never understand...."** _

_**!** _

_**"Hey, wait! Sumire, wait up!"** _

_**!** _

_**"Hey, hold on!"** _

_**!** _

_**"Look, the light is red!"** _

_**!** _

_**"Sumire!"** _

_**!** _

_**"SUMIRE!"** _

_**August 14, 20XX** _

_**01:21 am** _

Gasping for air after another nightmare, Sumire woke up and startled her fellow gymnast teammates and Hiraguchi.

"Sumire, what's wrong?" Hiraguchi crouched down to aid her student, who was in a disheveled appearance.

"I... I... Kasumi...."

Her teammates sighed deeply and helped her up. Hiraguchi, on the other hand, offered to buy her a drink while she and a few other gymnasts had a talk during the errand. Meanwhile, Sumire was taken outside for fresh air.

"Feeling alright now, Sumire-chan?" One of her teammates asked.

"Y-Yeah...." Sumire mumbled in response as she apologized to them.

"That's the fourth straight night already. You sure you're feeling alright?" Another teammate asked.

"I am!" Sumire squeaked. "I don't want you guys stressing about me."

"Maybe not us, but once Coach gets a hold of either your parents or your boyfriend, we're in big trouble."

Sumire whimpered in surrender as she then looked at the moon shining in the sky.

"What are you trying to tell me, Ella?" Sumire whispered to herself, "What are you doing in showing me Kasumi's final moments?"

Sighing in defeat, Sumire retreats back to her bed as she puts on her headphones to sleep comfortably.

"You sure, Coach? That would mean we'd be one gymnast short!"

"As much as I don't want to, I have no choice."

Hiraguchi and the rest of the gymnastics team held a meeting without Sumire regarding the redhead's recurring nightmares.

"Coach..."

"Hanada-san, what else can we do? Her therapist is MIA, we're clearly in Sapporo, and we can't just let get a sudden trigger in the middle of the performance." Hiraguchi sternly reminded her best gymnast in the team.

"She's not gonna like the news..." Kaori Hanada, the gymnastic team's captain, pressured the older woman.

"I know. I'll think of a way to tell her without making her upset." She replied as the group dismissed and went back to sleep. Hiraguchi then pulled her phone out and called someone on the other end while

While Sumire is fast asleep, her comfort was suddenly interrupted by the sound of chains and her violin music keeping her asleep is replaced by a piano paired with opera-esque singing. She slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a blue and black prison cell. Panicking, she rose up to see her old Phantom Thief clothes all over her body while the mask in front of her appears to have broken in half. Picking up the pieces, Sumire looks out of the door to find a young girl with a huge book waiting for her.

"Are you... Lavenza, was it?" Sumire rubbed her eyes to stay awake.

"What's up?" Lavenza greeted while giggling.

"Oh! Uh, I was just sleeping." Sumire poorly tried to give a proper response to the unpredictable Velvet Room attendant.

"I am aware, dear Faith." Lavenza informed her before changing her expression. "I am so sorry for calling you here instead of the Trickster."

"Trickster? You mean Ren-senpai?"

Lavenza nods her head as she opened the book to show the La Foi card suddenly cracking, but not breaking. Sumire curiously approached the card and tried to touch the card.

"It's not breaking." She gasped in shock as she saw the card show her face, but with Kasumi's beauty mark.

"Indeed, it is quite a shock for me as well." Lavenza admitted to the redhead, "However, the grimoire never lies when it presents the fate of a certain Arcana in its greatest challenge yet."

Sumire then glared at the white-haired entity. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't take offense, dear Faith. I come here to warn you of an impending battle that only you can triumph."

Lavenza's words began to scare Sumire as she dared to ask another question or two.

"But why me? What about the Phantom Thieves?"

"Are you not one of them? Even Goro Akechi himself was considered as a Phantom Thief despite his intentions and role in the Metaverse."

"No, I'm not." Sumire begrudgingly replied as she averted her gaze. "I rejected the Phantom Thieves' beliefs and methodology, yet I am still considered as an ally to them."

"Indeed you are, and this quest will hopefully give you a glimpse as to why you are a Phantom Thief, not just their ally."

Sumire felt Ella appear behind her and talked to her Persona.

"Ella?"

" **My princess, the Trickster's Guide tells the truth. You aren't just their ally; you are truly one of them. And this incoming danger is the only way to test your truest resolve."**

"What do you mean?" Sumire cannot comprehend the cryptic words of her Persona. "Is my goal to become a winner and make Ren-senpai and Kasumi proud of me not enough?"

" **Tis not from the need to feel appreciated by both the dead and the living, but it is mere strength and heart that tests it entirely.** "

"So like I have nothing to prove anymore? But wouldn't that be contradicting the whole Phantom Thief code?"

" **It would appear so, but it isn't. You have a wonderful heart and soul, my princess... but do you have what it takes to make the hardest decisions on your own?** "

Before Sumire could bark back, Lavenza gave her a heads-up regarding the week where they had Ren released from juvenile hall.

"Although you would try to use the efforts in liberating the Trickster from his fate in the real world, that is not the point. You had the help of every Phantom Thief and their Confidants. In this one, you have to go in alone and fight the evil trying to make its way."

Sumire shook her head fast. "I can't! I can't do the fighting on my own!"

" **You can. I am thou and thou art I. When you try to pretend, I am the truth that will be revealed.** " Ella reminded Sumire that even her own excuses are incapable of contradicting what her heart truly says.

"Are all Personas brutally honest?" Sumire groaned.

"Not all, actually. It depends on how you adapt to both worlds." Lavenza shrugged before the alarm blared to end their conversation.

"What's going on?"

"You will now return to your slumber and awaken in the real world. I can hear your allies in the sport you participate in trying to wake you up."

Sumire nods and lays back down in the prison bed.

"Good luck, my dear Faith. May your journey against the wicked be a journey that guides your soul as well......" Lavenza faintly said as Sumire closed her eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, Lavenza gave a quite cryptic message, but what could this mean for Sumire?
> 
> Knowing that this is just a prologue, stay tuned for the next chapter, "The Calm Before The Storm", as Sumire takes a short break in Aasahikawa!


	2. Chapter 1-1: The Calm Before The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and The Omega:
> 
> Sumire enters the Velvet Room after a nightmare of her past as Lavenza challenges her to test her resolve in an incoming danger.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!
> 
> Sorry for delaying this chapter! I was unfortunately tested positive for COVID and had to get enough rest to make sure I fight the virus off. But then the docs and my family said not to have too much rest and encouraged me to keep myself active from time to time, so I had at least four hours a day to circle my room, type stuff, or play some games to keep myself pre-occupied instead of dozing off and allowing the infection to spread inside me.
> 
> With that said, I hope that this chapter is good enough for you all to enjoy while I continue recovery!

_**August 14, 20XX** _

_**02:30 p.m.** _

_**Mihako Gymnasium, Saporro, Hokkaido** _

"What do you mean I'm gonna go home!?"

Sumire's outburst was the result of Hiraguchi's order to send her home after the recurring nightmares she has been getting.

"Sumire, please. Let me-"

"I just won the qualifier just now! Why are you suddenly shipping me back home when I can still continue on?!" Sumire pressured Hiraguchi to give the realistic answer.

"Sumire, listen to me. You've been having nightmares ever since we began training for this event, you barely finished first just now had it not been for your teammates here encouraging you to focus, and you've lost your appetite in the free buffets."

"Did you really have to emphasize that last?" Sumire sighed at the final explanation.

"You're not yourself again, for all we know. Back then, you pretended to be Kasumi. Now you're being haunted by her." Hiraguchi frowned at her star.

Sumire then looked at Hanada, who showed a somber expression, before accepting the order.

"Fine. I'll be heading home instead."

Hiraguchi then watched Sumire march back to the hotel as Hanada approached her at last.

"Toldja so."

"I know, Hanada-san. But what can we do? I just feel guilty of witnessing her like this again."

"You think she can find inner peace once she arrives home?" Hanada asked a question not even Hiraguchi can answer.

"Who knows?"

_**Aasahikawa Terminal, Aasahikawa, Hokkaido** _

_**06:52 p.m.** _

Sumire arrives in Aasahikawa instead of going home. She then made her way to the Athletics Stadium where she requested to the guard to take a tour around the place. However, instead of a refusal, the guard recognizes her.

"Well, if it isn't young Sumi." He said with a hearty chuckle.

"Huh? You know me?" Sumire tilted her head in confusion.

"Of course, I do! You and Kassy often come here back when you were children."

"Oh! My apologies if I may have forgotten about you!" Sumire bowed apologetically, but the guard just pats her head and unlocks the doors.

"Well, I guess this may be a trip down memory lane for you. I hope you can find whatever you're looking for here." He sincerely said as he smiled at her. Sumire returned the smile and then walked down the halls of the stadium.

Sumire began glancing at the various headlines and trophies displayed in the corridors, but one headline that stood out was the one thing Sumire might be proud of towards gymnastics.

_"YOSHIZAWA PROTEGES WIN U-18 GYMNASTICS CONTEST; YOUNGEST WINNER EVER!"_

The headline featured Sumire, aged 10, and Kasumi, also aged 10, winning gold and silver, respectively. However, this was the only time Sumire ever won gold, and to her dismay it was overshadowed by the numerous gold medals Kasumi would win later on until her demise.

"Heh. I'm honestly glad they decided to feature this. Kasumi would've been pretty salty if-"

**"Are you sure about that?"**

Sumire's semi-cocky monologue was interrupted by Ella, who ruined her mood.

"Way to ruin it, Ella."

**"My dear, I am still you. You may express pride after one win, but you often doubt yourself. Especially when you won that gold long ago."**

Sumire then peered through the glass to find her interview response full of stuttering in the supporting details of the headline.

"Shit!" She hissed in disbelief until she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. Pulling it out, she answered the call immediately.

"Hello, Dad?"

 _"Sumire, are you alright?"_ Her father, Shinichi, asked her in a worrisome manner.

"I'm fine, Dad. I just took a detour to Aasahikawa to reflect on things." She replied.

_"Aasahika- Oh. I see."_

"Yeah. To be honest, I'm shocked they managed to keep one article about me winning here despite hundreds of articles about Kasumi." Sumire leaned on a wall as she said this. Shinichi sighed in relief on the other end and responded.

_"Well, Hiraguchi called us and asked if you managed to return home. When we told her you didn't, she went on full panic mode and even asked Amamiya-kun for help."_

Sumire cursed under her breath (and without her father hearing). "Seriously?"

_"Well, I'll just relay the details to him and-"_

"NO! Wait!"

_"Is something wrong?"_

Sumire was turning tomato red at the thought of Ren coming to her rescue for nothing. "I can't l-l-let Ren-senpai come h-h-here for nothing! That's like a w-w-waste of time for h-h-him!"

 _"Well, it's up to him if he does see it as a waste of time. After all, the museums and zoo there are fun to be having dates and all."_ Shinichi nonchalantly suggested, prompting Sumire to give up resisting.

"Fine. You can let Senpai know I'm here."

_"I love you, sweetie. We always do."_

"Love you too, Dad. Bye."

As Shinichi hung up, Sumire slumped down and began to contemplate on things. Ella noticed her demeanor and faced her.

**"Is there something wrong with the Trickster's interference?"**

"It's not that." Sumire removes her glasses to see a semi-blurry Ella. "It's just... Lavenza said something about us testing out resolve alone. No Senpai, no Phantom Thieves, no nothing."

**"I see. Although the world around you now may seem too much for someone who is blind, you can always find a way to discover the light that guides you all the way to the end. Even if it means risking the chance of losing assistance and guidance."**

Sumire gasped at Ella's statement, then puts her glasses back and smiled.

"You're right, Ella. I shouldn't doubt myself more. Especially if I have no clue what this resolve is supposed to be."

Sumire then stood up and stayed at a cheap inn for herself to spend the night. But not after she dined a huge load of beef bowls to make up for the buffets she missed.

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**09:17 a.m.** _

_**Zarate Arms Shop, Aasahikawa, Hokkaido** _

Sumire managed to finish her breakfast and check out of the inn to stroll the city for a while until she ventures back home. Well, that was the plan until Ren sent her a message saying that he will be the one to pick her up via the Phantom Mobile (a.k.a. the RV they had in last year's summer). Sumire then decided to kill time by visiting a gun shop with a firing range at the back. The owner was surprised to see her, but shrugged it off.

"Great. Another girl wanting to vent out shit by firing a few bullets."

"Another girl?" She parroted.

_"Aw, for crying out loud! Just hit the damn target, you stupid slug!"_

An older woman's yelling can be heard from the back, with the owner just snickering at her misery. He then told Sumire the price of the firing range and the gun to be used, and was again shocked when Sumire picked up a Winchester M1898 lever rifle and began inspecting it and posing with one arm holding the gun.

"Err, you're gonna break your wrist if you-"

"Don't worry. I've trained in something like this before." Sumire shot down his warning before proceeding to the open yard with him. He began mocking the frustrated girl who was already running out of shotgun shells.

"That'll cost you another 3000 yen if you want another hour." He gruffly said.

"I know, I know!" The girl, who has black hair tied into a high ponytail, waved him off. "I'll pay on my way out."

Sumire then interfered. "I'll pay for you instead, Miss..."

The girl nearly misfired upon hearing Sumire's offer. "Hold up. You serious?"

The gun store owner seemed impressed by Sumire's bravery and decided to make a deal.

"Tell you what: since you had 'training' for this before, try destroying 20 moving targets without reloading that lever rifle."

The girl noticed her gun and glared at the owner. "Cheapskate!"

"My store, my rules."

Sumire nods with determination and aims her gun with one hand. The owner pulls the lever for the targets to move while the other girl closed her eyes.

Sumire began picking her targets and began firing at a rapid and precise rate while making stylish one-handed poses. The owner was flabbergasted at the sight of 17 targets hit with just 6 bullets while the girl was amazed at Sumire's accuracy.

"Holy shit." Both muttered as Sumire carefully made her seventh shot on three targets lined up perfectly during their movements.

"Game and set!" Sumire twirled the gun and blew the smoke out of the barrel. She then turned to the owner and the girl before the former declared the next session free. Sumire, however, declined his deal.

"Sorry, but I was only here to blow some steam off. However, you can always put up some sort of tournament if you are into those kind of things."

The owner nods and asked for her picture so he can have evidence of a 'record-breaker' in the firing range. As Sumire left the gunshop and made her way to the main road, the girl ran and caught up to her.

"Wait!"

Sumire stopped and turned to see her struggling in her sprint. She then helped the girl up and took her to a nearby refreshment stand.

"Something wrong with your leg?" She asked kindly. The black-haired girl nodded.

"Yeah. Broke my leg in a nasty fall, aside from a few other things."

Sumire carefully observed her face until the girl recognized her first.

"Wait, are you that Yoshizawa girl from Shujin?"

Sumire's eyes widened as she confirmed. "Yeah. Pretty amazed you know me, but who are you?"

The girl sighed sadly. "Figured I'm forgettable. The name's Suzui. Shiho Suzui."

Sumire remembers the name, but decided not to bring up the reason how she knew the name in the first place.

"Though I don't remember you wearing glasses." Shiho probed her with a quizzical look.

"Oh! I actually wear contacts a lot, but I decided to wear my glasses when I'm not practicing."

"I see." Shiho then found out where they were standing by and decided to order lemonade for the both of them. Sumire accepts Shiho's generosity and grabbed the second drink.

"For a gymnast, you sure know how to fire a rifle like that."

Sumire's eyes wandered towards Shiho's after she commented on her marksmanship.

"Well, sometimes gymnasts have hobbies that people find weird." She replied with a shrug.

"Bull. Shit." Shiho rejected her reasoning. "I find it cool, honestly."

"Was that why you were struggling with the shots?"

Sumire's inquiry shot down Shiho's pride as the redhead then lectured her in firearm formation.

"If there's one thing you should remember in handling a shotgun, it's your upper body position. Not only will it help you resist the powerful recoil of the buckshot, but it can also help you aim well without relying on the iron sights all the time."

Shiho then finished her drink. "Man, you sure know your guns. Did you do part-time at the Untouchable Gun Store in Shibuya?"

Sumire shook her head. "No, but I do know someone who did."

"I see." Shiho then looked at her watch and smiled. "Wanna head for the zoo?"

"Sure! Marine life first?"

"No worries! Then we head for the aviary!"

"And lastly..."

"The Jungle Zone!"

Both giggled at their conclusion. Sumire then wondered.

"Are you from here, Suzui-san?"

"Scouting for colleges, honestly. Though I got bored and pissed, so I kinda went to the firing range for a reason."

Sumire then frowned at what she was implying, but decided not to push the topic further as they made their way to the zoo.

_**Outside Aasakihawa Zoo** _

_**12:35 p.m.** _

Shiho and Sumire had lunch by the Wild Duck Burger Restaurant across the gates of the zoo. Although Shiho was baffled by the amount of food Sumire ordered, she was nowhere different from her. The two began sharing personal tales about each other while waiting for Ren to arrive.

"So you and Amamiya-kun are dating?"

"Mm-hmm!"

"Well, I'm glad for the both of you. At least you proved Shujin wrong."

"I considered transferring schools, but I figured it'd be such a waste."

"Tell me about it." Shiho sighed at Sumire's past dilemma after the events of the Phantom Thieves era.

"Sometimes, I-"

**"My dear."**

"Ella?"

"Who?"

Sumire deliberately ignored Shiho for a moment as Ella gave her an alarming warning.

**"I sense the depths of Mementos rising from the ashes somewhere around this town!"**

"Mementos? Here?"

"Uh, Yoshizawa-san? You okay?"

The earth suddenly shook as everyone began to panic and run. Sumire and Shiho charged out to find a looming tower emerging from what may be the Athletics Stadium.

"Oh, my goodness."

"Holy mother of God."

The two watched as the sky turned dark red, and clouds of gray and velvet surround the whole structure.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am currently recovering (a.k.a. the fevers are little to none, body pains are now down to a headache, back pains, and knee pains, and my sense of smell is coming back to me. Don't ask about my sense of taste since I just eat anything without bothering its taste), but that won't stop me from keeping you guys updated with this story!
> 
> So you all have been noticing that I keep partnering Sumire with Shiho a lot. Well, Atlus did us a whole "we gave you a depressed and damaged athlete as a confidant, but not the one you all wanted" kind of message when we had Sumire announced as the Confidant instead of Shiho. But if the idea of Sumi being the FeMC was pushed through, then Shiho is definitely a confidant 100%.
> 
> Now that we have the calm before the storm, stay tuned for Chapter 1-2: "The Tower of Mercy"!


	3. Chapter 1-2: The Tower of Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and The Omega:
> 
> Sumire takes a trip to Aasahikawa and reflects on herself there. She then meets Shiho Suzui until a mysterious and horrifying tower emerges from the city's athletics stadium.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all! New chapter!
> 
> Gonna announce these ahead, but to those who are still reading Persona: The War That Ends The World.... I'll be rewriting the entire ending of that story since I feel like it is taking way too long. I'll try to cut it down as much as possible, so its finale will be delayed until I finish the rewrite.
> 
> For those who are familiar with my story arts that I post in my other fics, I'll be posting some art for this fic soon since I am still recovering from COVID itself. Don't wanna get stressed too much while I'm still sick. A few more days, and I'm back to my hyperactive, paranoid, artistic self.
> 
> With that said, let's go!

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**01:00 p.m.** _

_**1 km away from Aasahikawa Athletics Stadium, Aasahikawa, Hokkaido** _

Sumire and Shiho ran towards the stadium while others run away from it. Police began setting up defensive perimeters and blockades when the girls arrived, forcing them to find a shortcut.

"What the hell are we doing, charging into a terrifying tower instead of running away from it?!" Shiho hissed in fear.

"There is a security guard I know who works there. Considering his age, he might have struggled in escaping or risked his life to save the guests of the stadium." Sumire responded sternly, giving Shiho the impression that Sumire is a born leader.

"You got guts, I can tell ya that. Now how-"

_"WHAT ARE THOSE THINGS?!"_

_"SIR, RUN OR SHOOT?! RUN OR SHOOT!?"_

_"BOTH!"_

Sumire and Shiho turn around to see some police firing at Molochs as they get ravaged by the beasts. Apparently, gunfire doesn't seem to stagger them at all as the squad in charge gets massacred.

"What the hell." Shiho lowered her voice of shock and fear as Sumire gulped to regain her strength.

"If memory serves me right, then..." Sumire mumbled before noticing an empty bottle on one side and a jerry can of gasoline on the other. "Suzui-san, give me a hand."

"Wha-" Shiho was about to ask, but observing Sumire's actions prompted her to follow and assist the redhead in crafting molotov cocktails. Once they were finished, the two ducked back to their hiding spot only for the beasts to suddenly disappear.

"Huh? Where'd they go?" Shiho furrowed her brows.

"Probably patrolling." Sumire surmised. "Come on. We gotta keep moving."

Meanwhile...

_**En route to Aasahikawa, Hokkaido** _

_**01:32 p.m.** _

An RV barrels down the highway as it speeds up heading to Hokkaido. From inside, an argument is somewhat happening.

"Are you effing kidding me, Mona? What do you mean this was unexpected?!" Ryuji Sakamoto, who was picked up by the group in Shibuya, riled up.

"For the last time, Ryuji, I don't know about it either!" Morgana, the talking cat of the Metaverse, replied.

"You know, for every time a new case regarding Mementos happens, Mona is completely unintelligent about it." Futaba Sakura, adoptive daughter of LeBlanc owner Sojiro Sakura, snarked.

"Shut it, shut-in."

"I'm not a shut-in anymore, cat!"

"GUYS."

Everyone went silent as Ren Amamiya growled to catch their attention.

"Let's all focus on each other's stupidity later. We got more stuff to do than just bicker."

As Makoto Niijima changed the radio station, they managed to get a glimpse of a radio announcer's broadcast.

_"....other news, police have managed to finally take control of the surrounding perimeter in Aasahikawa Athletics Stadium as the raging bull-like monsters begin to burn by molotov cocktails, incendiary ammo, and flamethrowers following the RNG technique by a young teenage girl and her companion...."_

"That must be Sumire." Ann Takamaki, who flew from New York, assumed.

"Without a doubt." Yusuke Kitagawa hummed.

"But why in Aasahikawa of all places?" Haru Okumura, current CEO of Okumura Foods, tapped her chin in thought.

"We won't know for certain until we get a hold of the Palace ruler." Makoto responded.

Ren sped up upon hearing Makoto, knowing that they would need those answers soon.

"Get Hasegawa-san and Sophia on the phone. We may need some back-up."

_**Aasahikawa Athletics Stadium** _

_**01:43 p.m.** _

Sumire and Shiho finally snuck into the danger zone after outrunning and distracting the Molochs long enough for the police to observe them weaken it with fire.

"Remind me.... how you.... know how.... to kill these things...." Shiho panted desperately for air.

"Sorry, Suzui-san." Sumire winced as she completely dodged the question.

"What for?"

"Your leg. I forgot about it."

Shiho quickly forgot about the Moloch-burning knowledge of the gymnast and went straight into tending her right leg.

"Well, I guess Sakamoto and I are now part of the Limp Runners Club." She grumbled before looking at the building in front of them.

Right now, the building in front of their faces casts a gloomy, ominous appearance. While from a distance it would look aesthetically demonic, up close is a different story. Particularly, this building had _active blood vessels_ pulsating all around it while several bony shards protrude from the walls.

"I think I'm gonna lose my lunch." Shiho held her stomach with one hand while covering her mouth with the other. Upon looking at Sumire, she noticed how she just marched inside without a second thought. "Hey, where are ya-"

"Looks like things got a whole lot worse." Sumire replied as she pointed at the overturned car and a blood trail going to the door. "Let's find any survivors within the area."

"You can't be serious..." Shiho then shook her head and accompanied Sumire inside.

_**Unknown Palace** _

_**01:50 p.m.** _

Upon entry, the whole atmosphere shifted as Shiho gawked at the morbid yet fascinating interior design.

"Despite being a creepy place to see on the outside, I can't help but feel attracted to how this place looks on the inside."

"It's probably how whoever is in charge of this place sees it. And the stadium, out of all places...."

Shiho turned to see Sumire, now donning her Phantom Thief attire of black coat, black leotard, black stilettos, black stockings, and red gloves. What actually caught her attention was the Victorian mask.

"Yo, nice superhero get-up. Whenja had the time to dress up?" Shiho nods her head with a smirk.

"Huh?" Sumire squawked until she saw her gloves. "Ah, my clothes!"

"Wait, you didn't dress up? They just magically appeared on you?" Shiho began to eye the redhead up and down. "Not gonna lie, though, you look way sexier than I would expect."

Sumire blushed at the comment and thanked the Velvet Room for having her mask nearly conceal her whole face.

"S-Stop it, Suzui-san!"

"Getting flustered?"

Before Sumire could respond, the two heard screaming from the halls of the tower.

"You heard that?"

"Yeah. It's coming from up ahead." Sumire then ran ahead while Shiho followed behind.

Inside one of the rooms, a family of 4 and the security guard were cornered by a gang of Macabre Shadows as their scythes spun closer to them. Before any of the blades would touch human flesh, the Shadows were alerted by a lone gunshot that killed one of them. By the doorway is Sumire, who finished pulling the lever to let a shell out of the rifle and flashed a cocky grin similar to Ren's.

"Come and get me!" She taunted as she waved the rifle.

The Macabre then shift their attention to Sumire, who gracefully danced away the swipes and slashes of her foes before crowning them with one-shot hits to the heads. She nearly forgot about one until Shiho whistled both her attention and the Shadow's. The family and the security guard were then escorted by Shiho upon exit, but before Sumire could step into the lobby, she is trapped in by an invisible wall.

"HUH?!"

Shiho turned and saw Sumire stuck inside, but on her POV is a red force field. "Hey, Yoshizawa-san!"

While Sumire was looking for a faulty area in the invisible wall, more Shadows popped behind her. However, these are far more devilish spawns and particularly different from the ones she has seen.

"A crocodile?" She muttered as she then used the chance to summon Ella, with Shiho watching from behind the wall. "Ella!"

A woman in white wedding garments appears behind Sumire and casts Makougaon, which somehow didn't have an effect on the crocodile Shadows. The enemies then began snapping their jaws and lunged at Sumire, who jumped onto one Shadow's head and called out Ella again.

"Ella, use Masquerade!"

Ella then did a somersault, kicking her heels in an uppercut motion twice and critically damaging one of them. Sumire lands on the ground and uses Masquerade again on another, but fails to spot the third Shadow as it tackles her to the wall with its snout.

"Ngh!"

Sumire felt a gash on her waist and pulled her rapier out to combat the beast, who nearly bites her arm off had it not been for Ella intervening. Sumire then twirls her sword and begins dashing at the downed Shadows and slashes them until they turn into dust. Before Sumire could put her sword back, one more Shadow emerges behind her.

"Aw, seriously? Ella!"

Ella appears, but hissed in pain alongside Sumire as they get hit by the beast's Megaton Raid attack. Before it could strike again, Sumire got up and backflipped away from the follow-up strike.

"Enchant us, Ella!"

Ella uses Kougaon on the monster, which is weakened by the Bless attack and falls down quickly. Sumire walks up to the beast and aimed her rifle.

"Start talking. Who is the ruler of this place?"

 ** _"Foolish woman. The lieutenant will not be pleased, and the generals will be outraged to find defilers of the Tower of Mercy intruding sacred ground."_** The Shadow, having only an eyeball inside its cage head, snarled at her.

"It'll be your loss if you won't look at me in the eye and cower in fear!" She barked back as she summoned Ella to threaten him. The Shadow then eyed her and spoke in a less hostile tone.

_**"Lieutenant? Why are you doing this to me? Has my loyalty been for naught?"** _

"Lieutenant?"

Before the Shadow could speak further, it was killed on the spot by a bullet from above. Sumire was startled by this and failed to notice the assassin as the invisible walls broke behind her.

"Hey! What happened?" Shiho called her attention and noticed the dead Shadow. "Ew, what the actual hell is that?"

"Some sort of Shadow I have never encountered before." She uttered grimly as it faded into dust.

"Okay.... and your superpower thing?"

Sumire glanced at Shiho as Ella remained behind her.

"This is Ella, my other self. My Persona, if I have to say it in one word."

Shiho then observed Ella carefully before speaking up. "Why a wedding dress though?"

Sumire changed the topic quickly and asked about the civilians. Shiho told her that she guided them out safely while Sumire was busy fighting the crocodiles.

"Alright. At least they're safe."

"Hang on. The security guard told me to give you this, after he recognized you during the fight." Shiho pulled out his ID card. "Said that it might come in handy..."

Sumire took the ID card and nodded her head. "Let's get investigating then."

"What are we gonna investigate though?"

"About the ruler of this place. The room where we found them was something like a surveillance office, so there should be cameras keeping watch of some areas around this place."

Shiho agreed silently and walks with Sumire back to the room. Upon returning to the room, the two girls gain access to the cameras of the entire palace.

"Holy shit. 100 floors in this frickin' tower?! And over 700 active cameras everywhere!" Shiho was amazed and frightened at the same time.

"Yeah. And apparently, its floor coding is reversed. While we are at the 100th floor, which is the widest due to its connection with the outside world, the rest of the floors are claustrophobic and seal off any visibility from any outsiders."

"So in short, they're keeping all kinds of horror away from the public eye." Shiho summarized Sumire's findings.

"Yeah." Sumire then hears a vehicle crashing nearby and inspects one of the cameras to find out what crashed. "An RV?"

"What the f- We should investigate that first before this entire creepy hellhole."

Sumire agreed with Shiho's suggestion and runs to the crash site.

From afar, a mysterious figure watches the girls run out of the surveillance room and snickers.

"Fascinating."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the new Shadows I introduced here in this story, the crocodile Shadow was Ammut while the one-eyed Shadow was Balor. Mainly, they come from Shin Megami Tensei (as with all other Personas and whatnot), though I will say ahead that the number of Shadows here are vast and the fight scenes maaaaaaay be long by the time we reach to the next chapter set. (Hoping I'll reduce them to avoid burning out.)
> 
> Stay tuned for Chapter 1-3: "The Phantom Thieves Unite", as the Phantom Thieves reunite for one adventure!


	4. Chapter 1-3: The Phantom Thieves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and the Omega:
> 
> Sumire and Shiho investigate and fend off Shadows while rescuing civilians. After a crash nearby, they set off to inspect the crash site and anyone in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, y'all! New chapter!
> 
> So we'll be having a quick intro of the Thieves in this story. Though I will warn you ahead that their action will be brief, and the next chapter will explain why.
> 
> With that said, let's continue!

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**02:24 p.m.** _

_**West Wing, 100th floor, Tower of Mercy, Aasahikawa, Hokkaido** _

Sumire and Shiho arrive in the west wing of the ground floor of the tower to investigate the crashed RV they saw on the surveillance cameras. The dust was too thick and they crashed too deep, increasing Shiho's anxiety while raising Sumire's defenses.

"Shit, I can't see anything!" Shiho growled.

"Stay sharp, Suzui-san." Sumire readied her rapier as voices began to give them a sigh of relief.

"Damnit, Joker! You nearly killed us with that drive!"

"Blame the Molochs that were burning! We did the cops a favor by keeping them off their asses!"

"Guys, shouldn't we discuss this after getting out of the RV?"

As the dust faded, a group of 8 emerge from the blasted hole. The man in front, who sports a domino bird mask, smiled at the sight of the girls.

"Violet."

"Joker-senpai."

As the two hugged each other dearly, Shiho sharply connected the dots.

"Hey, Amamiya-kun."

Ren shot up and turned to see Shiho with a smug grin. "Suzui-san. Long time no see."

Shiho hummed as she then turned to see Ann and Ryuji emerge out of the whole. "Nice to see you two as well."

Ann decided to play dumb by doing her horrendous acting. "Huh? Oh, no! You must mistaken us for young teenagers! We're actually adults!"

"Drop the act, Ann. Those pigtails and that God-awful acting are dead giveaways." Shiho rolled her eyes while Ryuji, Ren, and even Sumire snickered.

"Hey! At least appreciate my effort as a super- SHIHO!" Ann tackled Shiho to the ground before picking her up for a bear hug. "What are you doing here?"

"Playing sidekick to Yoshizawa-san here." Shiho jabbed her thumb to Sumire's direction.

"You alright or anything?" Ryuji asked out of worry.

"I'm fine, Sakamoto-kun. Though I am now limping while I'm running." Shiho sheepishly replied.

"Eh, I know that feeling."

"It appears Violet had help after all." Noir said as Shiho squinted her eyes.

"Okumura-senpai? Niijima-senpai? And a... giant-headed cat?"

"I'll let the cat part slide for once." Morgana grumbled before looking at Sumire. "Violet, how long have you two been here?"

"Not too long, really. Though I had encounters with different Shadows that none of us have encountered before." Sumire sighed deeply after saying this.

"As long as you're alright." Ren gently spoke as he gave her a Soma bead. "Just in case, alright?"

Sumire flashed a smirk before looking at the rest of the team. "Alright, now Suzui-san and I took a quick look at this place, and there are over 100 floors in this tower. We're currently at the 100th floor, and possibly the only floor accessible by normal people."

"So the entire place is limited to people wielding Personas or possessing any form of supernatural access." Makoto tapped her cheek as she hypothesized.

"Or simply some sort of failsafe to prevent anyone from waltzing onto the upper floors. Besides, there's nearly 50,000 Shadows lurking in this tower." Futaba blurted out, making Ann and Shiho panic.

"50,000?! Are you kidding me?!"

"And I thought 5,000 was bad enough for me."

"Well, Suzui here would be right about the 5,000 thing. However, there is a room where they regenerate or clone several Shadows with different advantages for combat." Futaba continued.

"Well, we can't get anything until Sophia and Hasegawa-san are here." Yusuke sighed.

"Who?" Sumire and Shiho asked in unison.

"Two new members. We, uh, had trouble since last summer, and Hasegawa-san is a man we owe debt to as he owes us the same thing." Ren explained as the two new Thieves arrived on time.

"Whoa!" Zenkichi Hasegawa whistled before tossing the microbox. "Take a look at this, Sophia."

Sophia spawns out of the box and whistled as well. "Whoa! Place looks neat on the inside."

"See?" Shiho poked Sumire's waist as Yusuke begins observing the interior design, much to the Thieves' chagrin.

After debriefing again, the Phantom Thieves and Shiho (upon insistence from Sumire) head up to the 99th floor to investigate further about the Palace. With Joker, Violet, Morgana, and Sophia in the frontlines, everyone remained cautious of their surroundings after Shiho mentioned the possibilities of a red force field blocking them off. Which she jinxed seconds later as she, Queen, Wolf, and Noir end up getting trapped by a force field.

"Ah, shit!"

"You just had to jinx us, Suzui."

"Not helping, Wolf!"

"Let's just bash them into pieces!"

The Shadows that spawned revealed to be three Cu Chulainns, two Tam Lins, and one Queen Mab. Shiho hid behind the three, unwittingly letting herself witness the carnage that came from Makoto as she called out Agnes and blew up the three fairy heroes, Haru calling Lucy to use rockets from under her skirt to blast away the two fairy warriors, and Zenkichi using Valjean to rattle the lone fairy queen with one Megidola strike. The Shadows vanished into thin air and broke the force fields, allowing the trailing four to continue.

"Holy shit, I am so not pissing ANY of you off." Shiho mumbled as Haru pulled her close.

"Don't worry, Suzui-chan! We're only bloodthirsty violent to the Shadows since they sometimes manifest from nothingness!" Haru cheerfully chimed, making Shiho shiver in fear towards her former senpai.

"Is everyone alright?" Ren asked the four.

"We're good. Shadows were too easy." Wolf smugly responded as Shiho looked around the entire place.

"The interior design still looks the same as the previous floor."

"Whoever is the ruler of the Palace must be distorted out of some sick mind." Zenkichi huffed as he notices a door with no handle. "Great."

"A inaccessible door. There goes the easy way." Yusuke spat out.

"Does it respond to brute force?" Shiho suggested, allowing Makoto, Ryuji, and Morgana to step up in front.

"Skull."

"Mona."

"Fist of the Phantom Star!"

Makoto glared at Ryuji for calling her that again before she yelled out.

"Fist of Justice! (Vajra Blast)"

"Agneyastra!"

"Miracle Rush!"

Their Personas appeared and applied brute force, but the door did not break.

"Or maybe precision slices?"

Ren, Sumire, and Yusuke took their turn to open the door by force.

"Brave Blade!"

"Masquerade!"

"Vorpal Blades!"

Like brute force, precision slices did not work in breaking the door. Shiho then squeaked out her final suggestion.

"Or guns?"

Haru, Sophia, and Zenkichi took up the frontlines and used the same attack.

"Riot Gun!"

Unfortunately, that did not open it as well.

"Damnit, we ain't doing shit to it!" Ryuji growled in anger.

"This one is a lot harder than we expected it to be." Haru quirked.

"Are we thinking too inside the box?" Sophia asked as Ann walked up to the wall and pressed something to let it slide open. Everyone turned to Ann with amazement in their eyes.

"Well, we all forgot about one possibility about a door with no handles or knobs: there's always a secret switch!" Ann cheerily waltzed in to the next room before she got locked in a force field. "What the hell?"

"Ann! Look out!" Shiho yelled as another force field separated Ren, Sumire, and Yusuke from the rest.

"Ah! Joker-senpai!"

"We're trapped too!"

"We got company!"

On Ann's end, three Black Frosts appear in front of her. On the blade users' end, two Ammuts, two Gorgons, and one Sphinx appear in front of them.

"A Gorgon?! I hope staring at it will not spell our demise." Yusuke thought as Ren held onto his mask.

"Fox, take on the two crocodiles. Violet, the Gorgons. The Sphinx is mine! RAOUL!"

"Roger that, Joker! GOROKICHI!"

"On it! ELLA!"

Meanwhile, Ann summoned Celestine and used her braids to swing off any of the Black Frosts interrupting her Blazing Hell attacks. Due to her weakness to Ice, Ann spent more time jumping and ducking from the Bufu spells than countering them.

"Shit! Let me fire my shots! Ahh!"

"Ann! Focus!"

"Shut up, Shiho! I know what I'm doing!" Ann yelled as she managed to kill off two Black Frosts but gets slammed onto the force field by a third one. "Ow!"

Makoto then charged forward to the wall to find an off switch or something, but even she gets caught into a force field battle of her own.

"Fuck!"

Behind her spawned two giant Cyclopes with clubs. Makoto, being the sole fighter, has to heavily rely on armor to repel any heavy physical attack from them while using Agnes wisely.

"Uh, guys.... we may have a problem here!" Futaba announced in a panicked tone.

"Speak up, Oracle." Zenkichi demanded.

"When Ann pressed that switch, she triggered an alarm system that was rigged to the door."

"Sophie, try scanning the switch and trace towards its source."

"On it!"

As Sophia hacked herself into the security system, Ryuji accidentally triggers another trap to place him, Morgana, and Wolf onto a battle with a huge demonic wolf.

"Well, how profound." Zenkichi huffed as he fired his revolvers onto the monster.

"Mona, let's do this!"

"Roger!"

Ryuji and Morgana then help out Zenkichi in fighting the beast. Meanwhile, Shiho and Haru prepare themselves in case they have to fight something. But thanks to Sophia deactivating the alarm, the Shadows were quickly defeated and the force fields shattered around them.

"That... was a pain in the ass." Ren slumped to the ground after using numerous Personas to battle the Sphinx.

"That was a lot tougher than I expected." Makoto resigned to the couch.

"We should find a saferoom." Sumire offered, but Futaba shot her down.

"As much as I would love to rest in one, there are NO saferooms in this Palace."

"WHAT!? Are you effing serious?" Ryuji's exhaustion was erased as soon as Futaba said her findings.

"Then how are we gonna find rest and regain our powers?" Sumire whined as Shiho then remembered something.

"Hey, what if there are certain floors in this tower that are monster-free?"

"You mean something like the platforms in Mementos?" Morgana perked up.

"I guess it's possible." Ren thought about it as he looked at everyone, who were exhausted as hell. "Is everyone still up and running?"

"Yo, we're good." Ryuji raised a thumb.

"Same here. We still got some juice left in our tanks." Ann chuckled as she stood up.

"Come on, everyone. The more ground we cover, the more we can rest." Sumire gave the group a little pep talk to keep them going. As they went on, the demon wolf behind them growled as it revived itself for a short period of time.

_**"The lieutenant will not be happy to see all of you intruders... the moment you are in her sights, you will perish!"** _

Sumire turned around and aimed her rifle as she spat at the enemy with venom.

"Who is this lieutenant you are talking about, and how would you know she won't be happy?"

The monster just gave an eerie laugh as it huffed its last words.

_**"Go ahead and find out, scum..."** _

Makoto dealt the final shot and looked at Sumire. "Are you alright, Violet?"

Sumire nods her head slowly. "Earlier, one of those crocodile things mistook me for the lieutenant. Now, this thing said the lieutenant won't be happy to see all of us. What could this mean?"

Ren approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "We'll find out soon, Violet. The sooner we find a safe zone, the more we rest and stock up for our next trip here."

Sumire nods and rejoins the team in their march to the next level.

_**10th floor, Tower of Mercy** _

_**03:00 p.m.** _

In a dim-lit chamber, two very tall men were arguing near what seems to be a map.

"For the last time, Phobos, we are not going to deal with these miscreants right now!"

"Deimos, my brother, if we do not deal with them now... there will be dire consequences for us that hinder our progress into rebuilding this world into our vision!"

"You are the God of Fear, and you ironically fear these peasants for besting our soldiers?"

The gruffier one, Deimos, then looked at the shadowy corner of the chamber to find a woman standing in the dark. "You, intercept them on the 95th Floor. Expel them from this place or execute them on the spot, if you must."

The woman knelt down and replied with a sinister grin. "Yes, my liege. They will regret coming here."

_**96th floor** _

_**03:20 p.m.** _

"FINALLY!" Ann shrieked as she slammed herself onto another couch. Everyone else rested as they inspect the room itself, only to sigh in disbelief that it isn't a saferoom.

"Damnit, how many more floors of Shadows do we have to go?" Ryuji complained.

"Prolly just one more floor. The next floor feels tranquil." Sophia chimed.

"Alright, we just gotta fight Shadows still." Haru said as she spotted Shadows in what appears to be Trojan armor. "Look."

The crew then hid to find two Shadows talking to each other.

_**"How come we hafta follow the lieutenant? She's capable of eliminating these small fry herself."** _

_**"Rumor has it that her blade is nowhere near god-tier powerful to actually kill anyone."** _

_**"What do you think gives her power and motivation?"** _

_**"Do I look like I'm her keeper or whatever?"** _

As the Shadows left, the Thieves began to discuss about what they just discovered with their eavesdropping.

"Looks like this lieutenant thing isn't as intimidating as it seems." Yusuke mumbled.

"Whoever this lieutenant is, she isn't the main ruler of this Palace." Morgana surmised.

"Maybe if we beat the shit out of her, we might info on the Ruler." Ryuji suggested, but gets a smack to the head from Ann.

"And if she is stronger than us despite her sword's power?"

"... Shit."

"Guys, pay attention. We won't necessarily fight these Shadows in this floor. We just need the door and access the next floor to regroup and heal." Ren reminded them as they zipped through Shadows to make it to the door.

"Hmm? What the f- Guys, stop!"

Futaba's warning halted everyone from taking a step closer to the door.

"What's wrong, Oracle-senpai?" Sumire asked.

"I'm getting only one reading from the next floor. It is the safe zone, but..."

"But what?"

"It may be the lieutenant herself. And her power levels are very strong."

Shiho looked at the team, who readied their weapons.

"Don't worry, Shiho. We've been through this a lot of times now." Ann waved her hand after pulling the charge of her Thompson SMG.

"If anything, you should be glad we're here to help." Haru spoke up as she loaded her MK2 GL.

"There's gonna be one hell of a fight. You all ready?" Zenkichi announced.

Sumire reloads her rifle and nods with a stern look. "Ready!"

The group then bashes the door open and charges upstairs to the next floor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. Deimos, the God of Dread, and Phobos, the God of Fear. They're twins, so their involvement would fit the bill.
> 
> Remember that I said the Phantom Thieves' action will be brief? Get ready to see their next and last moment of action in Chapter 1-4: "Blossom of the Haze", as they confront the powerful enemy standing between them and safety!


	5. Chapter 1-4: Blossom of the Haze

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and the Omega:
> 
> Sumire and Shiho unite with the Phantom Thieves, who traverse towards the top while facing traps and Shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! The moment you all waited for!
> 
> So think of this chapter as the boss battle. I will also be putting artworks of each main character as the story progresses. (Though only in the chapter that impacts them the most) I might probably begin posting around the Chapter 2 set, so stay alert for that.
> 
> With that said, let's begin!

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**03:40 p.m.** _

_**95th Floor, Tower of Mercy, Aasahikawa** _

The Phantom Thieves and Shiho Suzui arrive at the eerily calm 95th floor, which was supposed to be a safe zone for them to recover and regroup. However, right in the middle of the hall is a masked woman wearing a purple and yellow coat, red fingerless gloves, purple baggy pants with chains attached to its red belt, and black Arabian military boots. The mask itself is merely plain black and covers the entire head save for her eyes.

"Ah, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts." She jeered upon seeing them arrive. "I'm quite a huge fan of yours. Warriors of the shadows, striking shadows to their last surprise. Hehehehahahaha!"

"Dude, quit with the whole "I'm a big fan" bullshit!" Ryuji howled as he aimed his shotgun. "You're that punk-ass lieutenant the Shadows kept blabbering about?"

The woman huffed in annoyance. "Figured those good-for-nothing rats would spill the beans sooner or later. But whatever; all that matters is none of you are gonna get out alive under my watch."

Ren raised his Browning HP and gave her a stern warning. "Listen, Miss Lieutenant. We're not here to confront you with blood; we're here to figure out who the Palace ruler is and-"

"Rulers. There is more than one Palace ruler, if that is what you'll be assuming the twins and myself." The woman barked as she slowly unbuttoned her coat. "I may not look like it, but this whole place is mine to rule as well."

The Thieves then notice her physique under the coat as she seems to be fit. Not ripped abs, but a flat stomach to ascertain her flexibility and endurance.

"Man, she looks hot." Ryuji drooled as Ann smacked his head.

"Skull, focus! She's a Palace ruler!"

"You know, I don't mind getting stared at as long as you don't get in my way." She haughtily bragged as Zenkichi fired a warning shot.

"If you're gonna strip all the way to hell, might as well remove your mask, too."

The woman then crossed her arms before tapping her cheek slowly, a gesture Sumire would end up getting curious about.

"Hmm... how about no?"

In a blink of an eye, the woman pulls out a long-barreled revolver and fires burst shots onto the group. The Thieves narrowly dodge the bullets, but raised their defenses after noticing what the bullets were customized with.

"Are you serious?! Explosive rounds?!" Makoto yelped.

"I guess she really wants blood spilled." Morgana murmured. "Diego!"

"Pandora!"

"Valjean!"

"Agnes!"

"Gorokichi!"

"Lucy!"

"William!"

"Celestine!"

"Raoul!"

"Ella!"

"Imma hide!"

While Shiho ducked under a huge couch, the fight ravaged on as the woman charged towards each Phantom Thief and evaded their attacks before slamming her fists and the gun onto them. Sophia gets wounded by one of the bullets while Makoto and Ryuji attempt to slow her down with Mad Moxie. Unfortunately, Makoto missed her kick as she was thrown back to Ryuji by the woman.

"Goddamn bitch!" Ryuji grunted.

Meanwhile, Ann and Yusuke try to double-team on her by using the whip as bait. The woman however caught on and grabbed Ann's whip before hurling her onto Yusuke, who was dashing for an ultimate strike.

"Ow!"

"She has quite the strength for a woman of her physique." Yusuke uttered as he pushes Ann off of him.

Haru and Zenkichi were next, trying to slow her down with grenades and potshots. The woman was quicker as she fired a bullet onto a grenade while it was in mid-air, blinding Haru and leaving Zenkichi wide open for a critical shot.

"GAH! N-Noir!"

"Wolf! Whe- WAAAAHHH!"

Haru was bodyslammed to the ground before she could recover. As the woman smirked under her mask, she would come face to face with Ren and Sumire, who swipe their blades onto her.

"Stay put!"

"Pfft. Make me, Muffin Top!"

Although Ren makes the mistake of swinging left and leaving his right torso exposed for a heavy kick from the woman, it would be down to her and Sumire in the combat while Morgana and Futaba healed the rest.

Sumire clashes her blade with the woman's revolver, quickly watching her reach out for a knife and nearly got slashed in the chest. The woman then twirled her knife as if she was in delight.

"Not bad. You saw me through my cheap shot." She gave a sarcastic remark.

"Of course, I would." Sumire replied arrogantly before spinning around to slash the mask of the lieutenant. Sumire then takes note of a familiar sight that was exposed in the slash before going into combat with her again. The lieutenant would slash Sumire's left thigh before jabbing her dagger onto it, causing the latter to cry in excruciating pain as the former gets shot by Ren. In an instant, she uses a smoke bomb to conceal her escape from the incoming group as they tend to their comrade.

"Hang on, Violet. Just calm down." Ren attempts to keep his girlfriend calm so that they can pry the dagger out of her thigh.

"This isn't gonna be a good feeling, but I'll just give ya some morphine." Futaba spawned a capsule for Sumire to drink. Sophia then would observe the entire area and brought up a curious observation.

"Is it me or does this place look like some sort of bedroom?"

After Makoto pulled out the knife and Morgana applied the Diarahan spell, Sumire then looked around to understand what Sophia is saying.

"Y-Yeah. It almost feels as if- Huh?"

Sumire then crawls her way towards a bed and pulls out a ribbon.

"Odd," she mumbled, "Where have I seen this before?"

Shiho then grabbed the knife from Makoto and saw something that she would consider as a clue.

"A clue!"

"What clue, Shiho?" Ann approached her and glanced at the blade. "Oh! It has a letter!"

"What letter?" Ren then snatched the knife and looked at it. "K."

"A letter K? What could it mean?" Zenkichi coughed as Sumire called the group out.

"Guys, I found the stairs!"

Morgana then frowned at her. "Can we at least take a break? We got our butts kicked, after all."

_**90th floor** _

_**04:20 p.m.** _

After fending off Shadows and trying to avoid setting off traps, the Thieves arrive in the 90th floor of the tower. No later than thirty seconds into the area, Ann began to complain.

"Ugh, how many more floors until we reach a safe zone?"

"Five more, honestly."

"Not helping, Oracle!"

"What do you want me to do? Magically make the room into a safe zone?" Futaba lashed out at Ann as they sat down to rest.

"Let's just hope nothing bad happens here." Shiho leans onto a door and falls down on her side. "Sonuvab-"

While Ann and Ryuji rushed to her aide, the Thieves would then enter a room that had real-life projections as its surroundings. However, it wasn't Aasahikawa that was displayed. It was-

"Huh? Kichijoji?" Haru wondered as Sumire suddenly goes into a trauma attack upon seeing projections of her and her dead twin Kasumi walking on the side of the road.

_"Today was brutal, huh? Feeling okay?"_

_"It's not that... Why am I doing so bad? I keep messing up my routine....."_

The scenery around them shows Kasumi cheerfully walking alongside Sumire, who was feeling depressed regarding gymnastics.

"Is this..." Yusuke glanced at Sumire, who was frozen in fear away from the group as the holograms continued moving.

_"Your growth spurt's just changed your eye level. You'll get used to it. Look! You're as tall as I am now."_

_"You practice the same amount, but you are the one who always gets first place. I can't catch up with you, Kasumi..."_

_"You know why? Because it's my right as the elder sister."_

_"We're both in the same grade though..."_

_"Aw, don't be so down."_

Futaba looked at the Kasumi hologram in disgust. "Sheesh, if she were my sister, I'd fucking hate her for pulling that card instead of cheering me up."

"Psst! Oracle!" Ryuji jabbed her shoulder and pointed at Sumire, prompting Futaba to apologize. However, Sumire paid no attention to it as she continued looking at the projection.

_"We'll reach the top of the world together. It's our dream, remember?"_

_"You don't get it.... You'll never understand how I feel...."_

_"Wha-"_

Suddenly, the scenery shifts around them as the projections began to distort. The world around them turned red as they saw the holograms running to a dead end.

_"Hey, wait up! Look where you're going! The light is red! Hey!"_

"This must be the day..." Makoto was mortified as she turned to Sumire, who was already shedding a few tears just from reliving the incident.

"Violet..." Morgana's ears drooped as they heard Kasumi yell one last time.

_"Sumire, stop! Listen to me! SUMIRE!"_

Everyone was in shock as they witness what happened next: Kasumi pushes Sumire off the road, at the cost of slamming her upper body onto the truck and causing it to swipe her to the side while it crashed. Shiho gets paralyzed at the sight of Kasumi bleeding out while Sumire looks on with horror and trauma before seeing the hologram turn black.

_"Ka... Kasumi...?"_

"Sumire..." Ren felt his heart twist once again. Seeing this back in Maruki's Palace was painful to watch, but why did he have to watch it with Sumire again? His question was answered as the the holograms suddenly go in reverse and stop at the moment Kasumi was inches away from grabbing Sumire away from the road.

" _ **That day.... if our positions were to be switched...**_ "

The lieutenant emerges from the shadows of the dead end. Apparently, there was a hidden door no one noticed since they were too occupied watching the accident.

" _ **... Would I have your life, and yours mine?**_ "

The lieutenant stops and snaps her fingers, causing the walls to shatter like glass as everyone looked at her. She is now branding a broadsword with her, her coat is now fully open to let some air cool her body as she removes the mask to shake the Phantom Thieves down to the core.

"No way..." Morgana muttered.

"It can't be..." Sophia registered.

"But that's impossible! How..." Shiho failed to finish her question as she kept looking between Sumire and the lieutenant.

"But how...." Ren murmured as Sumire finally spoke up after staying quiet, her tears still streaming down her face.

"Ka... Kasumi?"

In front of them is Kasumi Yoshizawa, the long-dead twin of Sumire. She happens to be the lieutenant of the Palace, and if what she said was true, she is also the third Palace ruler. Kasumi somewhat aged along with time, although her face now sports four scars on her right face, which reflects the injuries she sustained on the moment of her death. Without hesitation, Kasumi's eyes flashed gold as she swings her sword in a backhand manner, causing a demonic wave of energy to sprout and make the Thieves split up and fight her.

"I'm sorry, Violet, but we're gonna have to fight her." Morgana announced, but Sumire didn't hear him.

"Kasumi, it's me! Sumire! What are you doing!?"

Kasumi gave a demonic grin as she continued slashing at them, destroying the walls in the process.

"Violet, this isn't your real sister!" Makoto convinced Sumire, but Kasumi spoke up.

"Tch! What do you mean I'm not her real sister? This is the real me, you bob-headed bitch!" She snarled as she gripped her sword normally and charged at Makoto. Makoto was slashed brutally and sent onto a wall, immediately sent on a dying state.

"Queen! You li- GAH!"

Before Skull could finish, Kasumi punches his gut and uses her sword like a baseball bat to smack Ryuji onto a pillar while avoiding Yusuke and Zenkichi firing at her.

"Too slow, you punks!" She taunted as she threw a flurry of kicks onto the two before subduing them with her daggers. Haru attempts to fire a grenade on her, but Kasumi was quick enough to learn a better trick and fires at the grenade launcher, blasting her along with Ann, Shiho, Sophia, and Futaba into the air.

"Wha... what the hell?" Ann grunted in pain as she felt the shrapnel on her abdomen.

Shiho, who was miraculously bruised and not bleeding, notices Sumire walking close to Kasumi.

"Kasumi, stop! This isn't like you! You're not the type of person who hurts people!" She pleaded as Kasumi readied her sword.

"Maybe, but if it means staying at the top of the world, then why the hell not?" As she swung her sword, Sumire quickly retaliates by blocking the thick blade with her gun and kicks Kasumi for distance.

"Kasumi, please don't do this! We're not here to fight you, okay?"

Kasumi smirked as she used her sleeve to clean the sword. "Makes my job easier then. Hragh!"

Ren saves Sumire from the thrust, but gets slashed in the side in the process. Kasumi scoffed and prepared to go defensive as Morgana finishes healing the team.

"You call this the Tower of Mercy? We'll show you fucking mercy!" Ryuji howled as he and Makoto charge at her alongside Yusuke, Haru, and Zenkichi. Kasumi knew they would fall for her stance and spins her sword before stabbing the floor.

" **JEZEBEL!** "

Behind Kasumi appears a woman with a curved dagger, a red-sleeved dress with the gown being armored with spikes, a crown with a dragon's head in the center, black high-heeled boots, and a cape that also acts as a shield. The face of the Persona also sports scars on her face, further connecting itself to Kasumi.

"Kill them!" She commanded as the Persona uses the cape to cover the frontliners and blast them with Megidolaon. After that was done, Jezebel uses a unique move to make sure her foes stay down.

" **Scorpion Slash!** "

Jezebel's Severe Physical attack would put the fighters in another dying state, and without enough energy... Morgana can't heal them. Sophia, Ann, Ren, and Futaba would be next in receiving the merciless attack of Kasumi Yoshizawa. Sumire then snaps out and forces Jezebel to the ground by using Ella to tackle her.

"Ah, trying to pick a fight with me again, Sumire?" Kasumi mocked the redhead.

"If it means saving my friends, then yes!" Sumire growled in response. "This is between you and me!"

Kasumi laughed sinisterly as she spun her sword. "You sure you can beat me? I'm always number one between the two of us..."

Sumire then swings her rapier at Kasumi, who parries it with her sword as the battle between the two went on. Sumire lunged at her, but Kasumi sidesteps and impales Sumire with the sword after watching the redhead lose her footing.

"SUMIRE!" Everyone yelled as Kasumi removes the sword, catches her body, and kicks her to the ground.

"Pathetic." Kasumi spat at her dying twin as she took focus on the Thieves. Ren was boiling mad as he fired his bullets onto Kasumi, who is spared from damage thanks to Jezebel's gun resistance.

"EVERYONE, FOCUS ALL-OUT ASSAULT ON HER! SHIHO, GRAB SUMIRE AND GET HER THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Ren commanded with venom in his tone as Kasumi began fighting off the Phantom Thieves while Shiho scrambled and grabbed Sumire, whose vision faded as she blacks out while hearing the voices of the Thieves enter her ears.

_"DON'T STOP ATTACKING!"_

_"GODDAMNIT, STAND STILL!"_

_"SORRY, YOU CUNTS! I'M AFRAID I'M ALREADY BORED OF ALL OF YOU...."_

_"SHE'S GONNA FIRE BACK! DEFEND YOURSELVES!"_

_**87th floor** _

_**06:00 p.m.** _

Sumire wakes up in a bed inside a room in one of the floors of the tower. She then spots Shiho sleeping while holding her lever rifle while noticing some dead Shadows by the doorway. Sumire hissed in pain as she moved, earning a short mumble from Shiho as she woke up.

"Suzui-san?"

"The cat healed you before guiding me out of the floor. We went up, then he left us here to go back for the crew." Shiho explained.

Sumire then noticed her hair was untied. "My hair..."

"The ribbon had to be the lock for the door. Sorry about that." Shiho pointed at the doorknob, which held a now ripped ribbon.

"How is everyone?"

Sumire's question would be met with a horrifying answer from Shiho.

"None of them came to get us. Not even Sophia or Oracle. Worse comes to worse, they're probably dead."

Sumire couldn't help but weep as Shiho joined in.

"Ren-senpai...."

"I'm sorry, Yoshizawa-san..."

_**100th floor** _

_**06:10 p.m.** _

The Phantom Thieves wake up to find themselves back on the 100th floor on the brink of death. Ren, who was already gaining cuts everywhere, continued to charge towards the stairs only to find it blocked by a force field.

"We're alive? What a relief." Makoto sighed.

"Hey! We're back down here!" Futaba snarled in irritation.

"Where's Ren?" Yusuke groaned as he stood up. The crew then were startled by Ren's punches on the force field.

"FUCK!" He roared as he punched the force field with full momentum as Ryuji approached him and placed his hand on Ren's shoulder.

"She'll be fine. Mona managed to heal her at the last second, after all."

"I know, man. But it's Sumi... we just fought her dead twin, got whiplashed by her sword and Persona, we left her with Shiho, and..."

Futaba suddenly healed Ren and gave him a glare.

"Joker, I'm only gonna heal you just now. We can't access all the floors anymore, but you still can with your grappling hook and Third Eye. You're the damn Wild Card hailed by Lady Lavenza, for crying out loud!"

"Are you guys saying I should sneak back in alone?" Ren looked at his friends with worry.

"Seems that way." Zenkichi hissed as he applied ice onto his burned arm.

"Joker, when you find Violet... please make sure she's with Shiho." Ann pleaded as she was tearing up. "I don't want to lose my best friend for real this time."

Ren nods before looking at Morgana. "Mona, is it possible for dead people to have Palaces?"

"That... I'm not sure. But with Kasumi's power, she was way stronger than any of us." Mona lamented. "We can't help you at this rate, so you're gonna have to investigate and solve the mystery without us."

"So she's like a vengeful spirit, but with a twist?" Sophia chirped while going fritz.

"More or less."

"So what will you guys do?" Ren looked at the wounded squad.

"We'll head for a hospital. Some of us have injuries beyond a simple Dia spell or a cognitive medicinal pill." Makoto sighed in defeat. "As for Sophia, we're gonna have Ichinose-san repair her."

Ren then sighed as well as he used his Third Eye for another way win, smirking slightly at an air vent. Opening the vent carefully, he then looked back at his team. Futaba gave a salute, making Ren chuckle a bit before going in.

"Hang in there, Shiho... Sumire..." Ann murmured. "Ren's coming to rescue you two."

_**15th floor** _

_**06:24 p.m.** _

Kasumi stares at the outside world as she then remembered her earlier confrontation.

"I'm amazed you got stronger, Sumire. But you're still reckless as ever."

She then pulls out a gemstone and sighed. "Be glad I casted a spell on you before you bled out. Your friends may have healed you entirely while my spell was in effect, but tonight... once we see each other again... it'll just be more time for the two of us."

Pocketing the gemstone, she glances at the thermal indicator of the Palace, watching two heat signatures in Floor 87, one in Floor 97, and another in Floor 80.

"As for whoever is in Floor 80... I'll be meeting you soon once I get the chance."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You all thought I was gonna kill Sumi right there and then? HELL NO! Think of it as a "Dante gets impaled but lives" scenario.
> 
> Sumire, despite being healed by Morgana's last Salvation, was kept alive by Kasumi for unknown reasons. Shiho apparently stayed with Sumire and defended themselves until our heroine woke up. However, because they have no contact from the others, they presumed them all dead in the hands of the fallen twin.
> 
> After being healed by Futaba's remaining energy, Ren is now on a suicide mission to save Sumire and Shiho while investigating the Palace on his own. Without radio contact and completely depleted with energy, Ren must now scavenge to find SP rejuvenation before fighting any Shadows necessary.
> 
> As for Kasumi's Persona, I gave her Jezebel due to the reputation that Jezebel was a well-praised but cruel queen in Israel. While keeping her beliefs, she forces them onto others while trampling or eliminating potential enemies to keep herself in power. As to why this is Kasumi's Persona, we'll learn about it along the way.
> 
> Stay tuned for the second chapter set in Chapter 2-1: "Shattered Dilemma" as Sumire admits to the new challenge and how she should approach Kasumi without getting killed!


	6. Chapter 2-1: Shattered Dilemma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and The Omega:
> 
> The Phantom Thieves and Shiho finally encounter the lieutenant of the tower, who happens to be Sumire's dead twin Kasumi. Kasumi proved to be a tough fighter, nearly killing Sumire and beating the hell out of the Phantom Thieves before sending them back to the ground floor and barred re-entry. Sumire, meanwhile, survives the fatal blow and remains with Shiho in the tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter, new set!
> 
> Intense moment in the previous chapter, huh? Well, I'll tell you ahead that every encounter with Kasumi will become an intense moment. Sumire just witnessed first-hand how merciless Kasumi is, after all....
> 
> Forgot to mention this last time, but Kasumi's handcannon revolver is called the Black Tulip while her sword is Ex-Calibur, which is the Sword on the Stone.
> 
> With that said, let's continue!

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**06:25 p.m.** _

_**87th Floor, Tower of Mercy, Aasahikawa** _

Sumire and Shiho exit their hiding spot and began looking for the stairs. While Shiho wanted to go back downstairs and check, the roars of the Shadows occupying the lower floors scared her.

"It's already nighttime?" Sumire raised her eyebrows in shock while Shiho aimed the former's rifle at the stairs leading down.

"This place is creepier at night. Damnit..." She whimpered in fear.

Sumire then calls out Ella to have a chat with her. "Ella..."

**"I know, my dear princess. Even I am in shock to see our former self."**

"But you were Cendrillion back then! How was it that Kasumi manages to have a Persona of her own?" Sumire cried out as her head was full of questions that she wants answers for.

**"I regret telling you this, but even I have no answer to that inquiry. All I can assume, mind you, is that your twin may have had the potential of becoming a Persona user had she not died."**

Sumire frowned and ran her hand on her abdomen. Although the leotard was magically stitched and her body does not contain a deep scar that goes both ends, Sumire felt uneasy as she looked at her Persona.

 **"Is this what Lady Lavenza meant by your biggest challenge yet? My answer for you is a sure-fire yes."** Ella beat her to that question and answered it as soon as possible.

"Well, we won't get anything unless Lavenza tells us or Kasumi does."

Shiho decided to butt in on their conversation. "Hey, keep in mind that Kasumi literally stuck her sword through your body and then kicked you to the ground."

"You think I'm not afraid of that possibility again!?" Sumire lashed out at Shiho before retracting. "I-I'm sorry."

Shiho sighed in defeat and apologized as well. "I'm sorry, too. I guess I was being insensitive of your own feelings, considering that we're talking about your dead sister and all."

Sumire then waltzed further and found the stairs. She then looked back at Shiho and asked for her gun back.

"Stay right behind me, Suzui-san. I don't want to lose you too." She somberly instructed.

"Got it." Shiho replied bluntly as the two ascended the stairs. By the time arrived in the 85th floor, they finally take their rest and try to sleep off for a few hours. Sumire, however, showed restlessness and opted to just stare at the ceiling for a while.

_**08:44 p.m.** _

Shiho wakes up and finds Sumire still staring blankly at the ceiling. Saddened by the trauma of her new friend, she sits next to her and pats her head.

"There, there. We'll get our answers soon, Yoshizawa-san."

Sumire nods in a deadpan manner and turned to her side. Shiho sighed in defeat and decides to explore the floor. Taking a look at a few paintings, she furrowed her brows as she eyed the one with a dying eagle in display.

"Hmm... this looks odd."

She then touched the painting, which changed its color into an all-red saturation. Yelping in surprise, she alerted Sumire and made her shift her focus onto the paintings.

"Are you alright, Suzui-san?"

"Y-Yeah..." Shiho mumbled as she got up. The ravenhead then curiously touched the next painting, which was an eagle chick hatching out of its shell. The saturation turned orange, and then Sumire followed suit by touching the painting of an eagle attacking a snake, which turned yellow.

"Suzui-san, mind if you can touch those paintings again?" She ordered.

"Sure." Shiho complied as she touched the two paintings again, which reverted back to its original color. Sumire then hummed after she touched the yellow painting.

"Looks like a puzzle following the ROY G BIV pattern."

"Well, yeah. But we got no shit on it unless we know what the pattern is about." Shiho grunted as she tried to study a pattern. Sumire then silently took note of the illustrations and inspected the remaining four paintings, which displayed an incubator, the eagle soaring in the sky, two eagles, and a bird's skeleton.

"It's showing the life of an eagle in captivity..." Sumire murmured as she touched the incubator painting first, then the hatching chick, followed by the two eagles, the eagle soaring in the sky, the eagle attacking the snake, the dying eagle, and the bird skeleton. Shiho was baffled by how quick Sumire studied the pattern and saw the paintings glow in their respective ROY G BIV pattern.

A door suddenly opens near them while sealing the general stairway. Before the two could react to the stairs getting blocked, a narration from Kasumi came from each painting.

" **Inside closed doors, an incubator was used to raise a chick awaiting its life outside the egg."**

**"Once the chick hatched, it was welcomed with joy and love to become a majestic bird."**

**"It had a sibling, only mere minutes born after her. The two chicks would get along quite well."**

**"But once the two chicks grew up to become mighty eagles, they were released into the free world and soared the skies with dominance."**

**"However, the younger eagle was reckless and tried to capture a snake without proper training. The older eagle swooped in and took the bite."**

**"As the older eagle laid dying, the younger eagle flew away out of fear. Saddened and angered by the younger bird's decision to run away, the older eagle was left to die on the spot."**

**"Years have gone, and the eagle was nothing more than a skeleton for insects and vermin to vandalize at their will. Up to this day, the younger eagle never returned to mourn the older one."**

Shiho shuddered at how Kasumi narrated the tale. "Christ, she spoke it in a horrifying manner."

Sumire bit her lip and shook her head. "It was meant to be that way."

"Huh?"

"This eagle story.... It has a connection to how Kasumi and I grew up..."

Sumire sheds a few tears as Shiho frowned at the sight.

"You're blaming yourself again. Whatever happened in Kichijoji was an accident."

"An accident I caused. Even until now, I still feel the horror of that moment in me... haunting my every thought."

Sumire wiped the tears off her face to look at Shiho, who only gave her a look of empathy.

"If I had a sister like you, I'd make sure you get cheered up in a flash. To be fairly honest, your sister didn't help in making your depressive thoughts go away."

Sumire sighed in despair. "I... I know. I told Ren-senpai about this before, but Kasumi's whole 'older sister duties' thing... to care for me, to keep watch on me, to make me know what I should do under her rules... they're so damn infuriating!"

Shiho jumped at the sudden rage Sumire displayed, but held her tongue as she lets Sumire continue.

"It's always her doing everything for me. Like, it comes off the wrong way every now and then as if she thinks I rely on people too much! Yeah, I do. But she didn't have to make me feel useless by trying to make me fend for myself then dictate whatever crap she has in mind at the same time!"

Shiho then saw the fury in her eyes, but at the same time there was a cloud of guilt.

"Look, Yoshizawa-san. We're gonna end up confronting her somewhere in this tower. Once we go face to face with her, you have to tell her the truth of everything."

Sumire wiped off more tears and nods her head. "Y-Yeah."

Shiho then carefully walked to the mysterious passage. "Well, the stairs are blocked. Let's try this door."

"Suzui-san, what did I say about staying with me?"

Sumire's pout made Shiho blow a raspberry. "Pfft, come on. What's the worst that could happen? Getting teleported to a dangerous floor?"

"Don't jinx us! You jinxed us earlier with Wolf, Noir, and Queen." Sumire hissed in warning, making Shiho hang her head in disappointment.

"Come on.... you don't need to bring that up."

The two then entered the door, hoping that wherever they end up will be in their favor.

_**90th floor** _

_**09:00 p.m.** _

Ren arrives back in the battleground where all the walls have been destroyed and the remnants of their fight remained visible. Staring at the blood stain of what used to be Sumire's death spot, Ren sighed and hoped Sumire herself is fine despite the critical blow Kasumi dealt onto her. Picking up his pistol and Makoto's revolver, he resorted to relying on guns for now since he has no healing item with him to refill his spell powers.

"Great. I guess going akimbo won't be so bad." He shrugged as he made his way to the 89th floor. Upon arrival, he witnesses several Shadows roaming around the whole area.

_**"The lieutenant said she noticed four visuals on the cams and told us to intercept the one re-entering the vicinity. Do not let the intruder come in and get out alive!"** _

_**"SIR YES SIR!"** _

Ren scoffed at the Shadows' pep talk and decided to have fun as he stepped out to show himself.

"My, my! An intruder you say? How does he look? Graceful? Stylish?"

_**"A mopheaded fuck like you is who we're looking for."** _

"Whoa there! Language, mister! Do you kiss your mama with that mouth?" Ren jeered with his signature Joker grin as the Shadow guard grew irritated.

_**"After him! He is the intruder!"** _

Ren then smirked as he whipped out the guns. "It's showtime!"

Pulling the triggers, Ren had to keep up the shoot-and-dodge game against the overwhelming platoon of Shadows. Knowing he is on thin ice, one attack from a Shadow would spell hell for him.

"Don't miss...." He muttered to himself as he continued raining lead onto the monsters. He began to scowl in anger as the Shadow High Guard began to mock him by sending reinforcements.

_**"Keep pouring it on! Do not let him succeed!"** _

"This is gonna be harder than I thought...."

_**78th floor** _

_**09:11 p.m.** _

Emerging from the mysterious path, Shiho and Sumire find themselves in an empty corridor full of mirror walls.

"Shit, another puzzle?" The ravenhead growled in annoyance while the redhead nods firmly.

"Stick with me. I have a bad feeling about this."

As the two marched on, they were stopped by a force field smacking onto their faces.

"OW!"

"AH! My nose!"

Sumire recovered first and pressed her hand against the force field. "Great. We're blocked."

"But the stairs are blocked back in the lower floor! How are we gonna advance?"

Sumire then began to brainstorm until she noticed her reflection in the mirrors. She pulls out the small ribbon she found in the 90th floor and ties her hair to her signature ponytail.

_IDENTITY CONFIRMED. WELCOME, MISS YOSHIZAWA._

Shiho glanced at Sumire as they continue walking. "Okay, that was odd."

"It wouldn't allow access unless I'm posing as Kasumi." Sumire then sighed sadly at the whole memory of pretending to be Kasumi.

"What's wrong?"

"Hmm? It's nothing."

"Doesn't look like nothing."

After they reached the end of the corridor, Sumire removed the ribbon and looked at her reflection again.

"Not too long ago, I pretended to be Kasumi for a while. Talking like her, acting like her, even behaving like her. People saw me as mentally ill for doing so, but even I had no clue on what I'm doing. Even Ren-senpai thought I was Kasumi."

"What made you stop?"

Sumire gazed at Shiho's chestnut eyes to try to explain, but Shiho understood what her eyes meant and waved it off.

"I get it. Too personal. Just tell me about it soon."

Sumire then brought up something she was supposed to ask earlier. "Um, Suzui-san?"

"Yo?"

"How come you aren't wondering about us having powers?"

Shiho shrugged with a frown. "I don't know. I mean, a part of me says it's cool... but a part of me says it's scary... but then another part of me says it's stressful-"

"Your point is?"

"Seeing you all fight those Shadow things earlier... it takes a lot of responsibility, especially for Ann and Sakamoto-kun, who have endured the horror in Shujin known as Kamoshida."

Shiho leaned onto a wall and crossed her arms as she glared at Sumire with strict intentions.

"I have been aware you're the Phantom Thieves since Ann doesn't know how to shut up about details regarding meeting new friends or going to different places."

"What made you figure it out?"

"The moment Ann mentioned a space station. I could believe a castle, which might have implied Kamoshida having some sort of royal connection and shit. So does a museum heist and a bank heist. A trip to Egypt during the summer? Sure, no worries. Ann is rich, after all.... but the moment she said space, there was no damn way she went to the moon or whatever in just a few days and lived to tell the tale."

Sumire giggled at the imagination of Ann explaining EVERYTHING to Shiho. She then looked back at the girl with leg pains.

"If we encounter Kasumi, please be my witness when I tell her everything." She requested as Shiho cracked her knuckles.

"Should I be holding a gun?"

"Well..." Sumire then discovered a gun locker and looked at it quizzically. "A gun locker? In a mirror room?"

Shiho followed her eyes and saw it as well. "For a Palace this straightforward and horrible, I'm gonna say we're in some weird armory."

"But all the guns are gone-"

"Except for this." Shiho interrupted the redhead and grabbed the autoshotgun. "The Granelli 1015, of all guns..."

Sumire then found a door and held the knob. "Shall we get going?"

Shiho sighed. "Better be a safe zone upstairs. Come on."

_**88th floor** _

_**09:34 p.m.** _

Ren panted in exhaustion after slicing the last Shadow soldier. Running out of bullets was no problem, but to forget about the overheating issue of guns was something Ren should have figured.

_**"It seems you are quite in trouble."** _

"Yeah, yeah. My guns overheated, so what?" Ren tried to sound tough, but the weariness in his voice was evident.

_**"Well, I guess I am truly the one to finish you off. The lieutenant and the generals send their regards."** _

As Ren pulled out the guns against the Shadow raising his javelin, the latter suddenly turned into ash and amazed Ren at the slightest.

"What the f-"

"Seriously, Ren, don't you have any kind of contingency plan?"

Ren turned around and saw his savior with shock, the sight of another dead person putting him into a stop.

"Akechi?!"

Goro Akechi, the long-dead Detective Prince 2.0, holsters his gun and groaned. "I know you have questions. I'll tell you what I know so far, okay?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akechi's back! What is his involvement in the Tower of Mercy about?
> 
> I hope that you guys are used to puzzles in games. The painting puzzle with the color changes was based on Resident Evil 1's puzzle with the crows and paintings that would open a hidden path. (I am referring to the REmake, but tell me if the original had the same concept and result)
> 
> As for those wondering why Sumire retains her Thief outfit despite not having the ribbon? As long as the will of rebellion resides in her, she can still don the Thief outfit and summon Ella with her mask.
> 
> Also, Ren tried to channel his inner Dante by mocking the enemies upon encounter. However, he is only a Trickster. (Pun intended) Stay tuned for whoever is the Sword Master, Gunslinger, and the Royal Guard of this story.
> 
> Keep a close eye for Chapter 2-2: "Return of the Black Archer"!


	7. Chapter 2-2: Return of the Black Archer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and the Omega:
> 
> Sumire opens up to Shiho about her dilemma towards Kasumi. Meanwhile, Ren is saved from a dire encounter by Goro Akechi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yo! New chapter!
> 
> So I managed to give you guys a glimpse of how the puzzles in the fic may look like. So in this chapter, we're gonna encounter less of that coz we'll be focusing on the returning character.
> 
> With that said, let's continue!

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**05:12 p.m.** _

_**80th floor, Tower of Mercy** _

In the 80th floor lies the morbid dungeons that hold no live prisoners. The giant vein-like tubes throb around the walls as the entire area shifts between rocky terrain and bony terrain. The cells are hollow and only skeletons of man or monster lie in each one save for Cell #8. Its resident just woke up with a groan that echoed the entire area.

"Nghhh.... What the fuck?"

The resident then looks at his hands and feet before shifting his gaze to the cell he is in. Scowling in disgust, he began ranting.

"How lovely. Not only am I alive again, but the irony of me inside a prison cell seems to be the cherry on the top of whatever tripe I'm stuck in."

He is given a jump scare when a Shadow warden smacks the bars with his hammer.

_**"Silence, swine! You are not meant to talk unless the generals say so!"** _

The prisoner spat at the face of the beast. "Do you take me for a goddamn fool to just obey your bullshit?!"

The warden grew irritated and slammed the hammer one more time. _**"If you will not cease to let your tongue run its deed, then I shall do it for you!"**_

"Then I'm afraid to ruin your idea. I don't swing that way." The prisoner made a crude joke that finally ticked the warden off.

_**"Then you shall be executed on the spot, inmate!"** _

Unfortunately, for the warden, he would be entering a death trap as the prisoner tackled him the moment the bars were opened. The prisoner grabbed the hammer and began smashing the beast's face in, inadvertently alerting more guards.

"WHO'S NEXT IN LINE TO DIE!?"

The guards then transformed into one Kurama Tengu, three Chernobogs, and three Nebiros. Laughing maniacally, the prisoner grabs hold of his mask and unleashes his Persona.

"KILL THEM, HEREWARD!"

The prisoner's Persona, which appears as an all-black archer with the letters R and H etched on his chest in red blood while sporting a modern-day precision bow. The Persona then takes aim and fires a black sword manifested from the bow.

"YES, YES, YES! BLEED FOR ME, SWINES!"

In only a span of three minutes, all enemies were wiped out as the warden crawled in agony. The prisoner then notices him grabbing a hold of a weird communication device.

_**"Alert.... The prisoner has escaped Floor 80. Stop him from reaching the exit..."** _

The prisoner then steps on the head of the warden and whips out a laser gun. Sneering at the monster, he hissed out something.

"The name's Goro Akechi, and I am your worst fucking nightmare."

The prisoner, now revealed as Akechi, pulls the trigger and kills the warden, triggering an alert system that has him cornered against 30 Shadows.

"Now this is gonna be fun...."

_Four hours later...._

**_87th floor_ **

"So you got stuck here for how long?"

"That I have no damn clue. Once I find out who's running this shithole, I'll break every bone in his body to please myself."

Ren and Akechi arrive in the 87th floor to find a carnage of dead Shadows piled onto a doorway. As they investigate, Akechi then began to ask questions.

"I take it you're handling this alone and not with the others?"

"No. I was with the others until we got our asses handed by Violet's dead sister." Ren grimaced as Akechi looked at him with a baffled expression.

"I'm sorry, but I think I heard 'Violet's dead sister' for a second." He parroted.

"Yep. It's all true." Ren confirmed as he looked at the ribbon hanging by the door.

"So you're telling me that the person who kicked your asses is Kasumi Yoshizawa herself? Back from the dead and all?" Akechi gave a shit-eating grin. Ren shook his head and pockets the ribbon for now.

"Don't make it look like it's funny. Violet was mortally wounded in the process."

"Enlighten me."

"She got impaled by her twin's big sword."

Akechi then changed his mischievous expression to a guilty one as he noticed Ren's tone being defensive. He then looks at the Fool apologetically.

"My apologies. I know it's not my place to express my condolences, but-"

Ren gripped onto Akechi's shoulders and slammed him to the wall.

"Don't you dare say she's dead! If she is, then her own comrade is left defenseless!"

Akechi pushes Ren off of him. "What comrade?"

Ren then regained his composure and answered the black-masked detective. "Shiho Suzui."

Akechi then laughed as if Ren was joking. Ren then warned him that like Shiho, he is now relying on his wits, stealth, and skills in surviving the Palace after he is mentally drained.

"So in the words of Oracle, we are low on SP? Figured much, considering I only have Laevateinn as my strongest attack for now." Akechi sighed in disbelief. "I'm guessing we are gonna scavenge for items to heal up our SP?"

"More or less." Ren then gave a mischievous smirk. "Didn't know you'd be using gamer terminology in summarizing what I said."

"Shut the hell up."

The duo would arrive in the 86th floor and took a break. Akechi allowed it because he can clearly see Ren feeling exhausted.

"Go nap if you must. I still have enough energy to ward off any Shadows."

Without a second thought, Ren collapses onto a stationed couch while Akechi scavenges the derelict floor. Finding a ridged chest, Akechi claws the lock off and opens it to find a demonic crossbow with explosive rounds and shock arrows.

"Come to daddy, my sweet little sniping weapon."

Akechi also discovers twin magnum pistols and grabs them for Ren, tossing the guns directly onto Ren as he doe not plan on waking the Wild Card up.

_**10th floor** _

_**09:50 p.m.** _

"Goddamnit, now we have a prisoner on the loose!?"

Deimos was disappointed with his soldiers after they reported Akechi escaping the dungeons and making his way to Floor 100. Unbeknownst to them, Akechi is actually heading back up.

_**"I'm sorry, my liege! He was too powerful!"** _

Phobos then allowed the guard to rise up. "A powerful prisoner, you say?"

_**"Yes, sire! His powers are similar to that of the intruders from earlier."** _

Phobos then glared at Kasumi, who was adjusting her sports bra. "Damnit, Lieutenant Yoshizawa! I thought we told you to dispose of them!"

"I did, you overgrown oaf!" Kasumi did not hold back in her insults. "This prisoner must not be part of the crew that came in here."

"Then we shall double our efforts and double our defenses! Simple as that." Deimos groaned in anger.

"Should I intercept the prisoner?" Kasumi offered as she spun her sword around.

"What a stupid question. Of course!" Deimos threw an insult. "Bad enough you let one of the rats return to the tower premises, allowed two to escape your carnage, and one more to deal with. You better learn your role as judge, jury, and executioner."

"Hey, moron! I'm just a scapegoat for you two dumbasses! Let me do my thing while you go deal with the hocus-pocus rock."

"Then get to it! That stupid sword of yours won't kill anyone unless you use it right." Phobos gave more insult to injury to Kasumi as she stormed off in anger. She then looks back at the generals in disgust.

"Don't fucking underestimate Ex-Calibur."

_**75th floor** _

_**10:10 p.m.** _

Sumire and Shiho finished up eliminating Shadows on the 75th floor. Although Sumire continues to be precise and deadly with her rapier attacks and rifle buckshots, Shiho continues to struggle in standing her ground with the shotgun.

"Damnit, I wasted more slugs again." The ravenette sighed as she looked at the redhead. "Good thing you told me that this world allows me to imagine this shotgun as infinite."

"You're welcome." Sumire politely responded as she returns her sword to its sheath. The two then discover a glowing chest located at the far end of the hall, where the stairs are damaged and beyond travel.

"Well, on one hand... we got a treasure chest that spells HUZZAH. On the other hand, we got no way heading up." Shiho ranted as Sumire bashed the lock open and lifts the cover.

"A Chewing Soul, two Beads, and three Physical Ointments. Huh, go figure." Sumire nonchalantly announced.

"What do sweets and ointments have to do with a treasure chest?"

"Well, whenever we'd travel to a world like this, stuff like ointment can be used as shields while sweets recover our health and mental focus." Sumire explained to Shiho about the benefits of some items in the Metaverse.

"Huh. Okay."

Shiho then felt a small draft of wind blowing by her leg. Identifying a vent, she kicks it and discovers a hidden path to the next floor.

"Hey, uh, Yoshizawa-san?"

"Suzui-san?"

"I think we found our way up, but... uh, can you let your Persona thing check it for any active fans?"

Sumire nods and summons Ella, who immediately inspected the ducts. Upon returning to the girls, she confirms that there are fans active and spinning rapidly.

"Welp, so much for my idea."

"We can always find alternatives." Sumire huffed as she saw a window, the first time seeing one in this creepy tower. "Hey, a window!"

The girls then see a bony staircase leading upstairs. Shiho gulped in fear as she threw a small chunk of rancid meat from the walls.

"That's a long drop."

"Let's be careful." Sumire then grabs the ribbon and ties Shiho's wrist to her wrist. "Together?"

"Y-Yeah!"

_**82nd floor** _

_**10:23 p.m.** _

Ren and Akechi arrive in a small floor space, which is very odd for a tower so demonic.

"This feel roomy."

"I'm not in the mood for your bad puns, Ren." Akechi hissed at the Wild Card as he saw something that looks like...

"An elevator. But it can only take us to ten floors." Ren tapped his chin.

"Considering that you are not in good health yet, I recommend we head for the closest floor labeled in the buttons." Akechi recommended. Ren nods as he squints his eyes on the floor numbers.

"Floor 73 seems the closest." He said.

"Good. Then we'll go up to Floor 73."

The two boarded the elevator, preparing their weapons for what may happen next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Akechi now has two ranged weapons: his pistol (which is infinite ammo) and a crossbow (which is limited in ammo). Ren now actually dual-wields magnums instead of having his pistol and Makoto's revolver be his guns.
> 
> Sumire and Shiho continue to make their way up, but can a perilous path lead them to a better place?
> 
> The two generals reprimanded Kasumi, who is showing hostility towards them. What is going on?
> 
> Stay tuned for Chapter 2-3: Short-Lived Reunions, as the Fool and the Justice reunite with the Faith for one boss battle!


	8. Chapter 2-3: Short-Lived Reunions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and The Omega:
> 
> Akechi retells his tale on how he ended up in the Tower of Mercy. Sumire and Shiho travel towards the upper floors using the outside structures while Ren and Akechi take up an elevator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! New chapter!
> 
> I am so sorry for the delay of this chapter? Work had my ass beat daily and I had to write this carefully while being half-asleep.
> 
> So this chapter may be amped up to M a bit for slight sexual harassment. This does involve a certain character as they will be up against Phobos, who can manifest your fears at his free will.
> 
> With that said, let's witness the second boss fight!

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**10:30 p.m.** _

_**70th floor, Tower of Mercy, Aasahikawa** _

Sumire and Shiho continue to traverse to higher ground using the protruding bone-like platforms on the outer walls of the tower. Due to the inaccessibility of regular stairs, the duo had to go daring in their travel.

"Don't look down... don't look down... don't look down..." Shiho began chanting frantically while Sumire kept her eyes on her partner, on the platforms, and on a way in.

"Come on... Just keeping hanging on to me, Suzui-san."

Shiho nods as the platform by her feet snapped, dropping her and making her hang on for dear life from Sumire's ribbon.

"YOSHIZAWA-SAN!"

Sumire, who was pulled down by Shiho's weight, tightened her grip on the ribbon and pulled her up with one hand. "Come on, come on!"

Shiho closed her eyes tight as she started praying. Sumire then summoned Ella momentarily.

"Ella."

**"Yes, my dear Princess?"**

"Can you find our way in? Once you do, use a pattern of Makougaon spells to create a trail for us."

**"Very well. Do watch over the young woman by your hand for now."**

Knowing that it was not said in a snarky manner, Sumire complied and pulled up Shiho to her platform. The two of them felt cracking beneath their feet and cautiously panicked.

"H-Hey, your Persona better hurry it up now..."

"Just hang on, Suzui-san."

Five seconds passed, and the cracking sound grew louder.

"Any second now..."

The Bless trail was then spotted, prompting Sumire to run and skip onto the platforms as the rest of the bony structures cracked. Shiho panicked and climbed as fast as she can until Sumire pulls her in through a hole in the wall.

"WAH!"

"GAH!"

Both fell on their backsides as they landed on an ivory floor. The two groaned as they stood up and spotted a tall, buff man standing at the center of the corridor.

"Suzui-san, get behind me." Sumire directed as she pulled her rapier out. "Identify yourself!"

The figure stalked over them and bellowed in his baritone. "So you must be the surviving intruders of this sacred tower."

"Sacred? You call this lumpy, meaty tower sacred?" Shiho growled, unaware that she accidentally spoke out something not meant to be thought of.

"Do not dare mock this marvelous structure!" The figure howled. "I knew it was a mistake to send in Yoshizawa to deal with you all earlier."

"Send in Yoshi-" Sumire then lifted her mask to reveal her face. "You mean my sister, huh?"

The figure then observed Sumire and cackled. "Hehehehehehe... hahahahahahahaha.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Shiho then opted to pull the shotgun out and fired a warning shot to try and scare him.

"Enough with the bullshit! Who the hell are you?!"

The figure then sneered at Shiho and then tossed some sort of flash grenade. As the two girls recover their sights, the figure is all gone except for his voice echoing in the speakers.

_"Your worst nightmare, Shiho Suzui."_

"What the hell?"

Suddenly, the ground shook as a bulkhead opened in front of them. Appearing inside was someone Shiho does not want to see again.

_**"Well, well, well. If it isn't Shiho Suzui..."** _

"Ka-Kamoshida!?"

Shiho was petrified at the appearance of Cognitive Suguru Kamoshida, manifested by the figure to scare her off in retaliation.

_"My name is Phobos, one of the three rulers of this tower. You have already encountered one of us, so be prepared with what I can offer you."_

Cognitive Kamoshida stands in front of them with nothing but a black speedo and a submission whip. Sumire then scowled upon the sight of Kamoshida.

"Ugh, I am so thankful Ren-senpai and the others stopped him."

"NO! GET BACK!" Shiho backed away as Cognitive Kamoshida approached her.

"Come on now... I promise I'll be gentle." His sickening voice creeped out as he whipped onto Shiho's leg and pulled her close to him.

"I SAID GET BACK!" Shiho impulsively fires the shotgun at Cognitive Kamoshida's face, angering the man as he growled at the two.

_**"You two girls have been naughty... allow me to give you the right punishment..."** _

"No thanks. I'm better off away from you!" Sumire spat out as Cognitive Kamoshida powered himself up. His torso evolved into a form akin to Shadow Masayoshi Shido's Samael form while his legs grew werewolf hair. His left arm now grew in size and possess huge monkey hands while his right arm grew tendrils that act as a whip.

 ** _"Time for Daddy to play...."_** He grinned menacingly as Phobos laughed through the intercom.

_"Begin."_

Sumire then summoned Ella quickly. "Alright then. Bring it!"

_**73rd floor** _

_**10:40 p.m.** _

Ren and Akechi burst out of the elevator as they dashed for the stairs.

"I just hope Sumire is with Shiho as of the moment!" Ren blabbered.

"I hope so as well. I do not want to have a wrong impression on me towards Suzui nor Yoshizawa!" Akechi hissed as five Shadows appeared in front of them.

"Great."

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Akechi grabbed his pistol and fired at the Shadows, who resisted gunfire. "SHIT!"

"Well, we gotta improvise or run." Ren suggested as he pointed up. Akechi looked up and saw a chandelier, earning a devious grin from him.

"Fine then. I'd rather see you all burn!" He fires the pistol at the chain and cackles in delight as the Shadows are now struck with a burning effect.

"Gonna make this worth it... Phoenix!"

Ren called out his Faith Arcana Persona, the legendary bird of rebirth. Using a quick Mafrei spell, the Shadows went down as he and Akechi then chose to run past them.

"Huh. Nice eye on the chandelier, Joker."

"I just saw it before we fought them."

Akechi scoffed at his response. "Tch. Blowhard."

The two then heard yelling from above them, indicating that they are close.

"Let's go!"

_**70th floor** _

_**10:45 p.m.** _

"HE'S 12 FEET TALL AND 6 FEET WIDE! HOW THE HELL ARE YOU MISSING!?"

"YOU'RE ONE TO TALK, SUZUI-SAN! YOU HAVEN'T HIT HIM AT ALL!"

"AW, SHUDDUP!"

Shiho and Sumire struggle to stagger Cognitive Kamoshida as the Makougaon spells and shotgun slugs weren't enough to deal big damage. To make matters worse, Cognitive Kamoshida keeps attacking Shiho, causing her to miss her shots the moment she went on a panicking spree.

_**"Temper, temper, Suzui!"** _

"FUCK YOU!"

"Suzui-san, he's not the real Kamoshida! Stay focused!"

Sumire, despite warning Shiho about cognitive beings manifested by the Palace ruler, sighed in defeat as Shiho's shotgun jams. She saves her by using Masquerade on Cognitive Kamoshida's body, finally hitting him critically.

"Finally! Ella, I think I'll be needing Brave Step to deal more damage onto him!"

 **"My Princess, keep watch of your health against this fiend!"** Ella gave her a precaution before using Brave Step to increase the critical rate and damage boost. Cognitive Kamoshida gets back up and swings his arm onto Shiho, who ducks for dear life before getting caught in the flurry.

 _ **"Got you now, little girl..."**_ Cognitive Kamoshida licked his lips in a devilish manner as Shiho looked at Sumire, who summoned Ella for another Masquerade. Unfortunately, it was not another critical strike and it allowed the monster to scoop Sumire up.

"Ngh! Suzui-san!"

"My shotgun jammed, remember!?" Shiho yelled as she kept bashing the tendrils with the shotgun. The two girls were brought closer to Kamoshida's mouth as his foul breath made Sumire puke out her lunch.

 _ **"Gah! Annoying bitch! This was my good arm!"**_ Cognitive Kamoshida roared as he tossed Sumire into a pillar while his tendrils began removing Shiho's clothes.

"YOSHIZAWA-SAN! HELP!"

As she cried for help, she was silenced by a tendril when another slithered onto her bra strap.

_**"Shall we make this quick? You know how you love getting pleased..."** _

Recovering from the deadly throw attack, Sumire attempts to use her rifle to snipe the tendrils, but an arrow appeared from out of nowhere and struck Kamoshida in the face.

_**"ARGH! WHO THE HELL DID THAT!?"** _

"HEREWARD!"

"RAOUL!"

Sumire looked up to find Ren and Akechi calling their Personas to attack Cognitive Kamoshida, releasing the nearly undressed Shiho and causing Sumire to catch her.

"They're alive!" Sumire joyfully declared as she sets the traumatized Shiho down. Ren and Akechi then jump down from the terrace and aim down on Kamoshida.

"Was this how he looked like when you fought him?" Akechi asked out of curiosity.

"Nope." Ren answered bluntly. "He was more of a long-tongued demon with a penis for a chair."

Akechi sighed and glanced at the girls. "Deal with them first. I'll hold this perverted fuck off in the meantime."

Ren nods his head and dashes towards the girls, where he receives a hug from Sumire.

"I'm so happy you're alive, Senpai!" She tearfully said as Ren kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry. Kasumi was a lot stronger than all of us." He reasoned out before looking at Shiho, who was still shivering. "Help Akechi out."

Sumire then noticed Akechi using a crossbow in battling Kamoshida. "Akechi-san is alive too?"

"Yeah, but I doubt he would want to join us back to civilization."

Sumire understood what Ren meant and rallies with Akechi. Meanwhile, Ren turns his head back to Shiho and covers her bare torso with his coat.

"Keep this in the meantime, okay?"

Shiho nods in fearful confirmation as he joins the two fighters.

"Just like old times, huh?"

"Shut up, Amamiya."

"Akechi-san, come on. We know you miss this."

"You shut up as well, Yoshizawa. Now let's fight this bastard!"

Sumire and Akechi notice Ren not wearing his coat, and for the best reasons after eyeing the shaken ravenette by the corner. They dismiss the issue as they summon their Personas again.

"HEREWARD!"

"RAOUL!"

"ELLA!"

**"THAT'S RIGHT, MY LIEGE!"**

**"Time to put on a show, my Trickster! Ha-HA!"**

**"My princess, be cautious with your commands..."**

Ren then caught a glimpse of how tired Sumire is. "We're gonna be careful with Physical attacks. Make 'em count!"

Akechi smugly smirked. "No need to tell me twice. LAEVATEINN!"

A huge sword hammered itself onto Cognitive Kamoshida, causing him to cry in pain as his whip arm gets cut off.

_**"YOU LITTLE SHIT! I MADE RECORDS WITH THAT ARM!"** _

"Then I'm gonna have to make you permanently retire with full amputation!" Akechi snarled as Ren followed up with Brave Blade. As Cognitive Kamoshida was now receiving damage in the torso, his arm reconnected itself back to the body with ease, alerting Sumire in the process.

"Uh, guys? His arm got reinstalled!"

Ren and Akechi then notice what she was talking about.

"Great. We're screwed."

"We're gonna have to hit him with everything we got!" Akechi announced while pulling out his sword. Ren followed suit by pulling his dual magnums while Sumire raised her rifle.

"You two, cover me while I hack the bastard to shreds!" Crow hissed as he charged towards Cognitive Kamoshida.

"When did you-"

"I'll explain later, Violet!" Ren dropped the talk as he fired the double magnums onto the arms while Sumire fired her rifle onto the legs. Akechi began laughing hysterically as he kept slashing and slashing, but his laughter died upon noticing his wounds regenerating.

"What in the actual hell is this?!"

Cognitive Kamoshida howled in both a mocking manner and an irritated manner. _**"Tch! I DIDN'T ASK FOR COCKSUCKERS LIKE YOU TO TAKE OVER AFTER THE GIRLS GOT TIRED OF ME!"**_

With enough force, Akechi was scooped up and nearly crushed by Kamoshida's giant hand before getting thrown back to Ren and Sumire. Cognitive Kamoshida then stalked over the group with a demonic laugh.

_**"YOU KIDS REALLY DON'T KNOW WHEN TO QUIT? THEN ALLOW ME TO MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE WITH SMILES ON YOUR FACES...."** _

As the monster opened his mouth, a huge reptilian tongue slowly slithers its way to Sumire, getting her coated with his saliva.

"Ewww...." She whimpered.

Cognitive Kamoshida's fun was ruined when Shiho, who snapped out and unjammed her gun, fired all her slugs onto the bastard's face.

"KEEP YOUR FUCKING TONGUE OFF OF MY FRIENDS!" She growled as she kept firing and firing until his face was unrecognizable. But before she fired the next shot, she collapses from exhaustion.

_**"MY EYES! I CAN'T SEE SHIT!"** _

Ren, Sumire, and Akechi then gambled their powers and dealt with him at the same time with Brave Blade, Masquerade, and Laevateinn. With Sumire casting Brave Step before doing so, Cognitive Kamoshida falls down to his knees.

"About time! Corner him!" Ren commanded as they surround him with their guns.

_**"DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?"** _

"The great Kamoshida blahblahblah. Whatever, man." Ren then switched his magnums for his dagger. "Ready?"

"Always!"

"Must you really ask?"

"ALL-OUT ATTACK!"

The trio then eliminate Cognitive Kamoshida with a flurry of quick attacks and slashes before witnessing him vanish into ash. Phobos, who witnessed the whole thing, spoke up in the intercom again.

_"I should have known there were more intruders to ruin the fun. But it does make things interesting... Don't think this is over yet, Shiho Suzui. Unless you have faced your fear, I will always be in control of your darkest thoughts...."_

"ENOUGH WITH THE BEHIND-THE-CURTAIN ACT!" Akechi spoke with impatience. "SHOW YOURSELF SO I CAN MURDER YOU WITH DELIGHT!"

However, Phobos did not reply. Akechi kicked the dirt while Ren and Sumire rush towards their unconscious ally.

"Her clothes are ripped..." Sumire spoke with concern.

"I hope there's some sort of sewing kit around the upper floors." Ren mumbled as Akechi informed them of something.

"At the very least, we'll be safe here. Should there be any times that can benefit in repairing Suzui's outfit, I suggest doing them now before that bastard will strike again."

While Ren began scavenging for a sewing kit, Sumire talked with Akechi.

"So you're-"

"Alive? Maybe. I'm not certain as to why I was revived again."

Sumire went quiet as she slowly stripped Shiho for a short while.

"Hang on, Suzui-san. We're just gonna fix your clothes for a short while."

Akechi then observed Sumire taking care of their mortal ally as if she was a sister, which then triggered Akechi's inquisitive nature.

"So your sister is a Ruler of this place?"

Sumire stayed quiet enough to let Akechi assume he's correct.

"Any thoughts regarding it?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Akechi-san." Sumire's tone was icy as Akechi opted to drop the issue instead. As Ren arrived back, Akechi taps his shoulder with the sword.

"Let's go."

"Huh? You want to leave the girls behind?"

Akechi instructed Ren without looking at him. "We have more ground to cover. We could do Yoshizawa-san a favor by clearing out enemies and-"

"It's no use, Akechi-san. Oracle-senpai told us earlier that we're dealing with 50,000 Shadows in this tower." Sumire relayed what she learned about the Palace, earning Akechi's grunt of annoyance.

"Just great. You suggest we stick together?"

"For now, maybe." Ren sternly replied. "We'll rest up after what happened here."

_**10th floor** _

_**11:11 p.m.** _

"Those three are quite fascinating warriors." Deimos commented as Phobos showed him a holographic replay of the battle in the 70th floor.

"They're gonna realize that this monster will continue to pursue one of them unless she faces him herself." Phobos bluntly said.

"And what of the three? How can we break their spirits?"

"No need to break the redhead's spirit." Kasumi informed them as she entered the room. "I'm already her worst nightmare."

"Bold of you to make such an arrogant assumption."

"It's no assumption, brother. I had seen who she is referring to, and with a face similar to hers... it'd be a nightmare for maybe all three."

Kasumi removed her ribbon and decided to let her hair flow. "Finally..."

"So what shall we do?"

Kasumi yawned as she turned to face the door. "I'll deal with them. Knowing how this Palace works, they'll get easily lost if they make the choice of picking the wrong path. Looks can be deceiving, after all."

The two gods then see her face scars get covered by extra skin before she held Ex-Calibur.

"It's something that they have to trust, after all. Hehehehehehe......"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So unless Shiho herself kills the cognitive Kamoshida, he will continue to stalk the group in their adventure. Kamoshida became Shiho's fearmonger in the main story, and while Royal had the message of facing your future head on with the acceptance of struggle and challenge.... this one would bring about a story about facing your fears and accepting the consequences that follow after confrontation. (At least for her)
> 
> Kasumi is scheming something. What does she have in store for our heroes?
> 
> Stay tuned for Chapter 2-4: "Vertical Labyrinth", as the group is split up due to the cruel construction of the tower's puzzles!


	9. Chapter 2-4: Vertical Labyrinth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Previously on The Alpha and The Omega:
> 
> Sumire and Shiho combat a version of Kamoshida born out of Shiho's fears as Phobos, the Fear Master, spectates them. The battle intensifies as they reunite with Ren, who now has Akechi joining them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter, y'all!
> 
> Alright, Imma be real honest with y'all: I'm expecting criticism from the way I am making the puzzles in this story. Although I am faring fine in the battles and all, it would take me nearly 15 minutes to think of a good puzzle for situations like this.
> 
> With that said, let's go!

_**August 15, 20XX** _

_**11:59 p.m.** _

_**69th floor, Tower of Mercy** _

Ren, Akechi, Sumire, and Shiho arrived at the 69th floor of the tower. Shiho was the last person to wake up, and with the fact that she is grateful for Ren to save her she wished he saved her at an earlier time years ago.

"I'm still sorry for having Kamoshida haunt me until now." Shiho apologized as she wrapped her arms around her body.

"No need to be sorry." Akechi scoffed. "If that was the mere imagination of Kamoshida in your head, I can't wait to rip him to shreds."

"Sadly, you can't do that." Ren mused as Sumire turned to the ravenette.

"It's alright, Suzui-san. It was like that for me at first." She admitted.

Shiho then looked at Akechi. "So... Detective Prince Goro Akechi, huh?"

Akechi stopped walking and turned to face Shiho. "I am no longer the Detective Prince that swoons every girl down to the last panty. What you're seeing now is the real me."

"A guy wearing a helmet and pajamas? You trying to pretend to be some dark hero or whatever?" She tilted her head, causing Ren and Sumire to snicker at Akechi's dismay.

"He's sort of a ruthless person, considering how he treats others and fights like crazy." Sumire snorted.

"And guess what? That's everyday Akechi for you." Ren laughed.

Akechi crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. "Are we done? We still have stairs to find."

Three minutes passed, and there were no stairs in sight. Akechi slammed his fist into a wall while Ren and Shiho leaned on another wall.

"DAMNIT! How the hell are we going to navigate through this shit!?"

Sumire then sighed. "It must be another room with puzzles."

"But what kind of puzzle?" Shiho quirked an eyebrow.

"Let's go look for one then." As Ren stood up, he stepped on something that made an unlocking sound.

"Senpai?"

"Ren?"

"Amamiya-kun?"

"I know."

Ren then looked down to see a glowing trigger before lifting his foot up. Upon doing so, the lock returns.

"It's a weight-triggered puzzle." Akechi spoke up.

"So we're gonna need something heavy to activate the locks." Sumire offered, but Ren held his hand up.

"Although you're right, there's one problem."

Shiho then inspected the pressure plate. "It's made of glass. Perfect."

"Too heavy, and we'll damage the puzzle. Too light, and it will not open at all."

Sumire then called out Ella.

"Ella."

**"My Princess. To what service am I needed?"**

"Can you try using a Kougaon spell on the pressure plate?"

**"Very well. Trickster, if you may move?"**

Ren stepped back as Ella used a Kougaon spell. The plate pressed down, enabling the lock for only 3 seconds before returning to its normal state.

"I guess spells work for a short period of time." Sumire huffed as Akechi looked at Shiho.

"Hey, dead weight. Go find the door while we look for more pressure plates."

"You son of a bitch!" Shiho was not amused by Akechi's name-calling. "Who the hell are you calling dead weight?!"

Akechi then shot a deadly glare at Shiho. "At the moment, you already are dead weight. Not only can you not fend off your own nightmare, but you barely have a persona and can only fight through the use of a shotgun with utter disregard to your enemies. Some of them repel bullets, meaning if you are not careful you die. So do us a favor and do the easiest job you can do while we deal with shit like this."

Shiho wanted to argue back, but she instead sighed and complied. Sumire then kicked Akechi in the shin out of anger.

"Akechi-san, I know Suzui-san is not like us, but can you please not insult anyone you dislike for once?"

"Give me one person that I seem to like." Akechi dared her, but Ren answered instead.

"You have no liking or love towards anyone. Not even yourself."

"Enlighten me as to why?"

"HEY! WE HAVE NO TIME!" Sumire snapped them out before they went into an argument.

Meanwhile, Shiho felt depressed after what Akechi said. While waiting for the trio to finish up in looking for the pressure plates, she noticed a plaque that had a cryptic message.

"The weight of the world lies on your shoulders, but your knees will definitely cause your downfall." She read as the trio found her.

"So, this is the door?" Akechi hummed.

"Most likely next to this plaque."

Ren and Sumire as they turned to each other.

"Raoul, get ready on the northwestern plate."

**"As you wish, Trickster."**

"Ella, the eastern plate."

**"Very well."**

"Hereward, keep it balanced."

**"You know me well."**

Shiho then looked down on the ground and saw that Akechi is standing at something odd. Before she could warn him, the trio casted spells on the pressure plates and activated the unlocking system. But as the door next to the plaque opened, a trapdoor below Akechi sent him falling.

"WHAT THE HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLL!!!"

"Akechi-san!"

"Akechi!"

Ren and Sumire witnessed him fall down into a dark place, unsure where he landed. Shiho notices the door closing again and uses the shotgun to bar the door from closing.

"Guys, we gotta go! Now!"

Ren and Sumire turned in silence as they went on without Akechi.

_**79th floor** _

_**12:10 a.m.** _

Akechi wakes up dazed after a nasty fall. He growled in anger before laughing to himself.

"A trapdoor. How foolish of me to stand on a pressure plate that served as a trap."

He then pulled his pistol out and inserted a flare on the muzzle. Firing it in the ceiling, he accidentally awakens sleeping Orthruses, Fenrirs, and Ammuts.

"Ah, bullshit. Time to waste my energy on you shitheads."

Akechi then noticed that the door is planted on a high wall with no way to reach it, making him brainstorm and think of a plan to get over there while earning the attention of the enemies and killing them in the process.

_**68th floor** _

_**12:10 a.m.** _

Ren, Sumire, and Shiho continue ascending to the top of the tower as they try not to mourn over Akechi's death. Well, maybe incapacitation in Ren's perspective. Knowing his own frenemy, that bastard only decides when he wants to die.

"Guys! Look!" Sumire called out as they come across another puzzle. Sighing in disbelief, Ren then read the placard that held a riddle.

_Time it well, ring the bell, and may you avoid going to hell._

"Time it well? Time what well?" Shiho furrowed her brows in exasperation as Sumire then looked at the ground.

"Uh, Senpai?"

Ren heard her call and followed her eyes down to the floor. Surrounding them are gears that look like they need to turn, and by the lone wall facing the placard is a pillar which Sumire and Shiho can hope is not a trap.

"Why can't we take the stairs like normal?" Shiho whined.

"As much as I want to say the same, it isn't the case." Sumire blurted out as she called Ella again.

"Ella, can you try checking what is inside that pillar?"

**"Hang on a moment, my Princess."**

As Ella tried to check through the pillar, she is shocked back towards Sumire. After the fairytale princess returned to her mistress, force fields sprouted and surrounded the three as five Hecatoncheires Shadows circle around them.

"Shit!" Ren gritted his teeth.

"Senpai! We need to be careful with our energy!" Sumire warned as she manifested her rifle. Before the fight could even begin, the force fields dropped while the Shadows changed in color.

"Yo, what the hell?" Shiho pointed at one Shadow, who is going berserk in a wilder state than how Akechi would cast.

_**"DEATH TO THE INTRUDERS!"** _

"I don't think so. KING FROST!"

Ren summons King Frost, a Persona linked to the Emperor Arcana, and attempts to freeze them with Mabufudyne. Ren suddenly felt the fatigue, but successfully froze the enemies in place and used his Third Eye to trace the source.

"Girls, there are seven cranks located in this floor! Find them and turn them quickly!"

Sumire and Shiho split up as they ran into the nearest cranks. While Sumire got lucky and found golden cranks that turned well, Shiho ended up with rusty cranks and struggled to push them to turn.

"Come on, you rusty piece of shit!" She growled.

"Are you okay over there, Suzui-san?" Sumire called out.

"Perfect. Absolutely fine!" Shiho sarcastically exclaimed. Unwittingly and accidentally, she broke the crank and trapped herself in a force field, increasing the security Ren is currently fighting and adding more trouble onto Sumire.

"Eep!"

"Sorry, Yoshizawa-san!"

Sumire then studied the layout of the floor and realized it is shaped like a baby. She then turned the cranks to a certain time while Ren is beginning to feel exhausted.

"Let's tag, Senpai! Turn Crank 5 and 7 to match it with Crank 4!"

"Got an idea on what the riddle was?"

"The time Kasumi was born! 07:44:55 a.m.!" Sumire declared as she fired lead onto the Shadows.

"What does that have to do with hell?!" Shiho cried out as she pumped shotgun shells onto a few Onmoraki.

"If I remember right, Kasumi was born with a sudden appendix burst! My parents had it removed immediately after I was born five minutes later!" Sumire elaborated as Shiho then shoved the shotgun into the crank hole and turned it to the 55-second mark. Ren dashed quickly and managed to turn the cranks to match the number 44. Sumire then seals the deal by turning the last crank to the #7 as the force fields shut off and the Shadows went suicidal.

"07:44:55 a.m. Damn." Shiho panted after collapsing to the ground.

"That was a specific puzzle." Ren spat.

"Earlier, Suzui-san and I found a few puzzles related to Kasumi. I have a hypothesis on the security of this tower." Sumire sighed after chugging down a random Starvicks found in a chest.

"Which is?"

"Anything related to Kasumi is a sure-fire way to guarantee you access to the upper floors. Anything else would send us to our deaths by freefall."

"Like Akechi-san." Shiho frowned as the pillar opened to reveal a dumbwaiter. Ren pinched his forehead as he gave the bad news.

"Only one of us is going to have an advantage in heading up a couple of floors in advance."

Shiho then entered the dumbwaiter and reasoned out. "If I find a map to this tower, I'll be meeting you in a safe zone."

"How will we find out?" Sumire raised a question.

Shiho then reloaded her shotgun and pumped it. "Just look for either Shadow blood or shotgun shell casings on the ground."

"Or maybe pellets all over the place." Ren snickered.

"I'm not that bad of a shot!" Shiho blushed and pouted.

"Uh, our fight against Cognitive Kamoshida?"

"Shut up, Yoshizawa-san." Shiho glared at the redhead as she pulleyed herself upward. After the ravenette left, Sumire and Ren walked towards the stairway.

"Sumi."

"Ren-senpai."

"What are the odds of us entering the next floor with a trap intended to send one of us falling?"

Sumire tapped her left cheek carefully. "50-50."

"Fair enough."

_**60th floor** _

_**12:23 a.m.** _

Shiho exits the dumbwaiter and actually arrived at a safe zone. Sighing in relief, she lays down before looking at her clothes. Tattered during the battle against Cognitive Kamoshida, she removes her top and looks for a new outfit. While skimming the wardrobe, she notices another ribbon which looked similar to the one Sumire found earlier in the afternoon. Pocketing it into her jeans, she grabbed a tank top and a tracksuit jacket while discovering a jewel.

"Huh? Hello there." She mumbled as she reached out for it. As she examined the jewel, she suddenly felt herself moving very fast. She looked at her surroundings and giggled.

"Well, I guess I can run around while waiting for them."

_**67th floor** _

_**12:20 a.m.** _

Ren and Sumire reach the next floor and found that the entire place is filled with Shadows. Both cursed under their breath as the Fool spots a door located in an elevated area.

"Look. A door by the terrace." Ren whispered and pointed at it.

"How are we gonna go about on this?" Sumire asked as the intercom bellowed.

_"I'm glad you asked, sis."_

"Kasumi?"

_"Well, this floor is actually a gauntlet crescendo. Whoever makes it to the terrace is the only one who will go up. The loser gets trapped in the force fields and must defeat the remaining soldiers lurking around."_

Kasumi gave an evil laugh that broke Sumire's heart once again. Ren then looked out of their hiding spot and saw the Shadows facing their way.

"Shit."

_"Dinner time, boys!"_

The Shadows morphed into numerous animal Shadows and charged at the duo like cannibalistic devils.

"Violet, RUN!" Ren dictated as the two split up and dash their way against the Shadows. While Ren has an advantage by firing potshots at the Shadows at mid to long range, Sumire used Brave Step and rebelled against the monster horde by using critical slashes from her rapier. Suddenly, Kasumi began mocking the two.

_"Come on. Is that the best you two got? Seriously, Sumire, I thought you trained enough already."_

"Says the one without an appendix!" Sumire roared as she sliced and diced her way through.

_"Missing an appendix is not an issue here, Sumire. You have more training that mophead over there, and you're getting outgunned by him?"_

"I had months of training in a gym and in my room!" Ren barked as Kasumi mused further.

_"A simple push-up and jumping jacks? How cute for a guy who's too skinny to even jump at an athlete's standards."_

Sumire shook her head and violently slashed at the Shadows as she draws halfway to the door. Ren continues to parkour his way above the Shadows as he is trailing behind Sumire by a meter.

_"Pick up the pace, you cunts!"_

"When were you so foul-mouthed, Kasumi?!"

_"'When were you so foul-mouthed, Kasumi?!' Shut up and hurry it up, one of you!"_ Kasumi mocked Sumire by imitating her angry probing. Ren then decided to cheat by helping Sumire charge ahead.

"Violet! I'm gonna have to let you go on ahead!"

"What!?"

Ren then stopped running and began firing his dual magnums at multiple directions. Sumire stopped and attempted to run back to him, but a force field has already been formed.

_"You are not supposed to help an opponent win the race!"_

Sumire was now fuming as she killed more Shadows before reaching a ramp and a ladder. After climbing up on both, the force field was now visible for both Ren and Sumire to see as Kasumi mused again.

_"Well, happy trails to that son of a bitch. Hurry it up, Sumire. My friend is DYING to meet you."_

Sumire looked back and sighed. Tightening her grip on her rapier, she puts it back on its sheath and readied her rifle as she entered the door and went upstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Akechi dropped, Shiho secured, and Ren cornered. With her allies on unpredictable grounds, Sumire is on her own for now.
> 
> As for the appendix thing, I heard that having no appendix reduces fatigue. Although I have read a few articles saying about it as well as lifestyle changes, I added it into this story to point out one of Kasumi's strengths: less fatigue reduced, meaning she can hold out longer than the Phantom Thieves themselves. (correct me if I am mistaken, though)
> 
> As for the jewel Shiho found that gave her slight superhuman speed, I actually have names for those jewels: Torrikusuta, Kensei, Uteruhito, and Okyu Ehhei. As for the gem Kasumi has and used in giving revival to Sumire after the first encounter, it's called Uragirimono.
> 
> Stay tuned for Chapter 2-5: "The Bearer of Dread", as our heroine comes face to face with Deimos, the God of Dread!

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will have its official uploading schedule once The War That Ends The World is officially finished. As of now, I am currently working on its finale. So sit back and gain sudden updates of this fic until then.


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